Davidson 10, UNC Asheville 3
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Forrest Brandt and Lee Miller both homered twice to power Davidson past UNC Asheville, 10-3, in nonconference baseball action Wednesday evening at Wilson Field.
Davidson improved to 28-14 on the season, tying its single-season record for wins first set in 1988 (28-26), and only previously equaled in 1992 (28-25).
First baseman David Daniels (2-for-4) also homered, giving Davidson a season-high five for the game. Brandt reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with two two-run home runs, two walks and three runs scored. Miller also went 2-for-3, hitting two home runs for three RBIs.
Davidson scored five runs in the first three innings, and then padded a 5-1 advantage in the seventh inning with a home run each from Daniels, Brandt and Miller.
UNC Asheville (13-33) totaled eight hits against five Davidson pitchers. First baseman Hunter Bryant had the Bulldog’s only two RBIs, going 1-for-4.
Brandt and Miller drove in the first three runs of the game on home runs. Daniels doubled in the first inning, and Brandt followed with his 11th home run of the season. Miller then hit a solo shot in the second inning. In the third, right fielder Nathan Becker (2-for-5) hit an RBI double, and a bases-loaded walk by catcher Daniel Gerow (0-for-1) gave the Wildcats a 5-0 lead.
UNCA earned its only run off RHP Clark Beeker (4-2) in the fourth inning on Bryant’s RBI ground out. Beeker left after the fifth inning, allowing the one run on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
The Wildcats put the game out of reach in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Daniels homered and Brandt and Miller each tallied their second homers of the game with two-run shots.
RHP Matt Saeta pitched the six through eighth innings, allowing two runs (one earned) in the eighth, and he surrendered just three hits while not yielding a walk and striking out two. He got through the sixth on just four pitches.
Three Davidson seniors playing their last game at Wilson Field closed out the ninth without allowing a hit. RHP Jip Richards earned the first out, LHP Justin Charles picked up the second, and with the bases loaded, converted quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff induced a pop up to end the game.
RHP Brian Connolly (2-3) suffered the loss, allowing the first three runs on five hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Davidson was originally scheduled to host North Carolina Central on Thursday at 11 a.m., but NCCU canceled, as the Eagles were required to make up a pair of MEAC conference road games on Friday and Saturday.
The Wildcats have the weekend off for exams and will next vie for the Southern Conference regular-season championship at Western Carolina, starting a three-game series Thursday, May 15, at 5 p.m. The series will conclude Friday, May 16, with a doubleheader.
Furman 9, East Tennessee State 8
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Chris Ohmstede belted a three-run walk-off home run with two outs in the bottom on the ninth inning to lift Furman to a dramatic 9-8 victory over East Tennessee State in Wednesday baseball action at Latham Stadium.
Ohmstede’s clout, his second of the game and team-leading eighth of the season, came off Buccaneer closer Clinton Freeman and easily cleared the fence in left field, completing a six-run comeback by the Paladins, who trailed 8-3 in the sixth inning.
Ohmstede, whose solo home run in the eighth pulled the Paladins to within two runs at 8-6, was robbed of a route job in the first inning when ETSU left fielder Jordan Samford extended well over the fence to glove an Ohmstede fly ball before it landed in the hedge beyond the field of play.
The junior third baseman went 2-for-3 in the game and drove in six runs on the strength of two sacrifice flies and the two home runs, which gave him 28 for his career, tying him with former teammate Will Muzika for sixth on Furman’s career ledger.
The Paladins’ ninth was set up by Hunter Burton’s one-out single. After Jake Jones reached on a fielder’s choice, Greg Harrison singled to third base to bring Ohmstede to the plate for the game-deciding long ball.
The win was just the second for Furman (19-28) this season when trailing after eight innings.
Alex Abrams (5-1), who worked a perfect top half of the ninth, used the Paladin rally to notch the win, while Freeman (2-5) took the loss after inheriting a two-run lead in the bottom of the inning.
East Tennessee State (24-23) appeared on the way to avenging an early season, 5-3 loss to the Paladins in Johnson City, Tenn., after grabbing a 4-1 lead after three innings. The Paladins, however, cut it to 4-3 with two runs in the third on a Jones RBI grounder and Ohmstede’s second sacrifice fly of the game.
The Buccaneers tallied a run in the fourth and three more in the sixth go up 8-3 before the Paladins mounted their comeback, beginning with Harrison’s leadoff home run in the sixth off Buccaneer hurler Jimmy Nesselt. A Carter Grote sacrifice fly later in the inning made it an 8-5 game.
Furman cut it to 8-6 in the eighth on a one-out Ohmstede solo blast to left field.
The Paladins’ late-game rally was fueled by solid relief work by Brant Masters, Elliott Warford, and Abrams, who combined to keep the Buccaneers scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Hunter Burton went 4-for-4 and scored two runs for Furman, which collected six of its 12 hits in the contest in the last two innings.
The first five hitters in East Tennessee State’s feasted on Paladin pitching, combining for 12 of the Buccaneers’ 16 hits. Jeremy Taylor and Chris Riopedre led the way with three hits apiece, while Chris Cook (2-for-for-5, 3 runs), Freeman (2-for-4, 2 runs) Tyler Roach (2-for-3, run), and Jordan Sanford (2-for-4) rounded out the multi-hit performances for the Buccaneers. Kevin Phillips added three RBIs.
Furman opens its final Southern Conference home series of the season on Friday when it entertains Elon at Latham Stadium in a 6 p.m. game.
No. 11 South Carolina 15, Wofford 1
COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Wednesday night, the Wofford College baseball team was defeated 15-1 by South Carolina at Carolina Stadium. The Gamecocks scored five runs in the second inning and added six unearned runs in the sixth to secure the victory.
Wofford is 25-25 on the season and No. 11 South Carolina is 36-13 overall. The Terriers’ lone run came on a home run by Seth Neely in the sixth inning. The Gamecocks had four players with two hits each.
The Terrier pitching staff tied a season-high with 12 walks, while the Gamecock staff struck out 11 batters.
Both teams were retired in order in the first inning. Josh Hyman walked in the second inning, but a double play ended the top of the frame. Grayson Greiner opened the bottom of the second with a solo home run to give the Gamecocks a 1-0 lead. South Carolina loaded the bases on a walk and two bunt singles. A walk plated a run and back-to-back sacrifice flies made it a 4-0 game. A two-out double pushed the lead to 5-0 before a fly ball ended the inning.
Derek Hirsch had an infield single for Wofford in the top of the third, but once again a double play ended the inning for the Terriers. Joey Pankake led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run for a 6-0 lead. The Gamecocks left two runners on base at the end of the third. Alec Paradowski was hit by a pitch to lead off the fourth inning and Eric Brenk added a single with two outs. A walk by Hyman loaded the bases, but a strikeout ended the scoring chance.
Neely led off the sixth inning with a solo home run into the bullpen in left center field. It marked his ninth home run of the season and made it a 6-1 game. Hyman added a two-out single but was caught stealing second to end the top half. The Gamecocks led off the bottom of the sixth with Marcus Mooney reaching on an error. He moved to third and then scored on a wild pitch to make it a 7-1 game. After two walks, a fielding error loaded the bases with two outs. Back-to-back walks plated unearned runs to make it a 9-1 score. Back-to-back hit batters scored two more runs for an 11-1 advantage. An infield single by Max Schrock drove in a run to take a 12-1 lead after six innings.
South Carolina opened the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back walks. After a single loaded the bases, a walk plated a run for a 13-1 game. The Gamecocks hit into a double play, but another run scored. An RBI single made it a 15-1 score before a strikeout ended the seventh inning.
Wofford starting pitcher Jordan Accetta (3-3) threw 1 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on four hits.
Reed Scott started for South Carolina and went four innings without allowing a run. He gave up two hits and struck out four. Curt Britt (3-0) threw two innings and allowed one run on five hits.
Wofford begins a three-game home series against UNCG on Friday at 6 p.m. The Terriers and Spartans will also play on Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
North Carolina 12, Elon 6
ELON, N.C. – An early deficit was too much for the Elon baseball team to overcome as the Phoenix dropped its final home game of the 2014 season by a 12-6 margin to the visiting North Carolina Tar Heels on Wednesday night at Latham Park.
UNC (29-19) jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead in the first inning. The big blow that frame was a three-run homer off the bat of Joe Dudek. The Tar Heels extended the lead to 7-0 after three innings before Elon got on the board.
The Phoenix (26-22) scored one in the last of the fourth when Casey Jones sent one over the wall in center with two outs. After UNC got that run back in the fifth, Elon's offense came through with three runs to make it an 8-4 game after six innings. Ryan Cooper got things going with a bunt single, which was followed by a walk to Jones. With two outs and Cooper and Jones both in scoring position, a hit batter and a walk forced in the second Phoenix tally. Wil Leathers followed by sending the first pitch he saw into left for a two-RBI single.
Both squads scored twice in the seventh, Elon on a Cooper ground out and a Danny Lynch single, before the Tar Heels added their final two in the ninth.
Jones now has hits in 33 of his last 34 games and raised his average to a SoCon-best .411 thanks to a 2-for-3 evening.
John Antonelli (0-1) took the loss as he allowed five runs on five hits in one inning.
The win went to Taylore Cherry (1-2), who was charged with four runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Elon will play its final Southern Conference series this weekend as the Phoenix visits Furman for three games. The set gets underway on Friday at 6 p.m.
UAB 4, Samford 3 (13 innings)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB shortstop Adam Smith singled to right field to drive in Matt Morse with two outs in the bottom of the 13th inning to give the Blazer baseball team a 4-3 win over crosstown rival Samford on Wednesday evening at Regions Field.
In a tight game throughout, the teams headed into extra innings tied at 3-3. Both teams had opportunities during the first three extra innings to take the lead, but neither could push a run across.
In the bottom of the 13th, with two outs, Morse doubled to right field to get things started for the Blazers. Smith then singled to right field to drive in Morse for the 4-3 walk-off win.
Samford pitcher Phillip Flach (0-1) pitched the final 2/3 of an inning, giving up the one run on two hits to take the loss on the mound for Samford. Flach was one of 10 pitchers used by Samford in the contest.
Offensively for Samford, Heath Quinn went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Tripp Martin went 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI. Drew McWhorter and Brandon Powell also had two hits each for the Bulldogs.
UAB’s Adam Lamar (2-1) pitched the final three innings, allowing no runs on just one hit to earn the win on the mound for the Blazers. UAB used eight pitchers in the game. Smith went 3-for-6 at the plate with one RBI to lead the Blazers offensively.
Samford jumped on top first with a run in the top of the first inning. T.J. Dixon reached base on an infield single to lead off the inning. Dixon then stole second base. With one out, Dixon moved to third base on a ground out by McWhorter. Quinn then singled to right field to drive in Dixon for a 1-0 Samford lead.
UAB came back to take the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Smith singled, and Ryan Prinzing and Griffin Gum were both hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Jeff Schalk then singled to drive in Smith and Prinzing to give UAB a 2-1 lead.
Samford tied the score with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Caleb Bryson singled to lead off the inning. Bryson later scored on a single by Martin to knot the score at 2-2.
UAB took the lead again with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Mitch Williams walked to lead off the inning. With two outs, Chase Davis tripled to drive in Williams for a 3-2 UAB lead.
Samford came back to tie the game again with a run in the top of the eighth inning. McWhorter and Quinn hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. With one out, Jared Watson singled, and pinch-runner Jordan Wren scored on an error on the play to tie the score at 3-3.
The loss snaps Samford’s nine-game win streak in the series. The last time UAB had defeated Samford was on April 1, 2009. Samford dropped to 29-21 overall, while UAB improved to 31-16.
Samford will return to action on Friday, when the Bulldogs open a home Southern Conference series with Appalachian State. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. All times are Central.