ETSU 9, Radford 1
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Freshman right-hander Ryan Simpler tossed five scoreless innings in his first collegiate start and the Buccaneers scored six runs in the first two frames as head coach Tony Skole earned his 400th win at ETSU following a 9-1 victory over Radford on Tuesday at Thomas Stadium.
Seven hitters accounted for ETSU’s 13 hits as Jeremy Taylor, Chris Cook, Trey York and Kevin Phillips all finished with multi-hit games for the Blue and Gold. Overall, the Bucs – who have outscored the opposition 21-7 over the last two games – posted their third consecutive game with double-digit hits.
A day after receiving his second Southern Conference Player of the Week honor, York continued to wreak havoc on opposing teams’ pitching as he went 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs and three RBIs en route to extending his hit streak to nine straight games. Taylor and Cook both registered a pair of hits, while Phillips ended 3-for-4 with one run, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Cook also scored four runs and swiped two bags.
Simpler (1-1) was magnificent in his first collegiate start as he held the Highlanders to three hits and struck out four to earn his first win. Logan Gentry and Josh Jacques both pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
With the win, ETSU improved to 7-2, marking its best nine-game start since the Bucs went 8-1 to open the 2005 campaign. Meanwhile, Skole – who is in his 16th season with the Bucs – is also in search of another milestone as he’s now five wins shy of his 500th career victory. Radford had its three-game win streak snapped and dipped to 5-5 on the campaign.
For the first time this season, ETSU put runs on the board in the first inning as the Bucs scored four runs on three hits and grabbed a 4-0 lead over the Highlanders. York generated the first RBI as his two-strike single to right brought home Cook from second, while York and Phillips scored on Hagen Owenby’s double to left. Senior Zach Thompson capped off the offensive surge when his two-out single plated Owenby, giving Simpler a four-run cushion to work with on the mound.
The four runs proved to be more than enough for the Buccaneer pitching staff, but for added measure, the Blue and Gold tacked on a few extra insurance runs.
ETSU added to its lead an inning later as the Bucs took advantage of a pair of Radford errors and scratched across two unearned runs in the second, extending their lead to 6-0. Phillips brought in Cook – who reached on an error by shortstop Chris Coia – with an RBI single to right, while York – who went to first on a catcher’s interference – sprinted home on Jordan Sanford’s fielder’s-choice RBI.
Following a scoreless third, the Blue and Gold were back at it again in the fourth inning, as York connected on his fifth home run of the year, giving ETSU an 8-0 lead. York took a 1-0 pitch from right-hander Austin Ross deep over the wall in left, allowing Cook – who led off with a single – to trot home on the round-tripper.
Phillips drove in his second run of the day when his two-out single to right plated Cook in the fifth, while Radford finally got on the board when Simon Palenchar scored on Brad Keen’s RBI groundout in the seventh, making it a 9-1 game.
Gentry and Jacques closed the door on the Highlanders as they combined for three strikeouts in the final two innings out of the pen.
Freshman lefty Zack Ridgely suffered the loss (0-1) as he was charged with four runs (two earned) on three hits in one inning of work.
Palenchar and Jimmy Brennan both finished with two-hit games, while the Highlanders totaled seven hits in the losing effort.
The Bucs wrap up midweek play on Wednesday as ETSU heads to Asheville for a 4 p.m. first pitch versus the Bulldogs at Greenwood Field.
Mercer 4, Georgia Southern 1
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team raced out to an early lead and used a strong showing from its pitching staff to move to 4-0 on the road this season with a 4-1 victory over Georgia Southern on Tuesday night.
Eric Nyquist had a great outing in his first start of the season, facing just three over the minimum in five scoreless innings. The senior right-hander limited the Eagles to two hits in that span while striking out five in the contest.
Morgan Pittman continued the strong pitching effort with three straight scoreless innings of relief before Georgia Southern (8-5) broke up the shutout bid with a run in the bottom of the ninth. Ben Lumsden got the final two outs for his first save of the season, helping the Bears win for the seventh time in their last eight games.
Mercer (8-5) fell one hit shy of its seventh 10-hit effort of the season, finishing with nine on the night. Howard Joe paced the team with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, while Nate Moorhouse went 2-for-4 with a team-leading two RBIs.
The Bears got on the board first, tallying three hits en route to a two-run second inning. Matt Meeder opened the scoring, driving in his first run of the year with his single to right field. Danny Edgeworth pushed Mercer’s lead to 2-0 later in the inning, crossing the plate on a wild pitch.
Mercer added to its lead in the third inning, as Nate Moorhouse’s single to right field plated Devin Bonin for a 3-0 advantage. Moorhouse drove in another run in the fifth frame to close out the scoring for the Bears.
The Bears return to play this weekend, as they welcome Harvard to Claude Smith Field for a four-game series. Mercer kicks off the action on Friday, March 6, at 6 p.m.
Georgia 5, Furman 3
ATHENS, Ga. – Nick King’s two-out, two-run sixth-inning single rallied Georgia from a two-run deficit and keyed the Bulldogs to 5-3 victory over Furman in Tuesday baseball action at Foley Field.
The win improved Georgia to 7-4 on the season, while the loss dropped Furman to 4-6.
Furman took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth on Cameron Whitehead’s two-out, two-run single to center field that scored Blake Chisolm and Chris Ohmstede.
It didn’t last long, however, as Georgia rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth. With one out and a runner at first base, Paladin left fielder Griffin Davis lost Josh Day’s fly ball in the fog. Mike Bell followed with a fielder’s-choice groundout, and Mitchell Webb loaded the bases with a walk, bringing King to the plate. After a pitching change, King bounced the first pitch he saw from Elliott Warford through the right side of the infield to drive in two runs and tie the game. Webb then came home on a wild pitch to give Georgia a 4-3 lead.
The Bulldogs made it 5-3 in the seventh on a Bowers solo home run to left-center field.
Furman put two runners on in the eight on two-out singles by Chisolm and Whitehead, but Bulldog reliever Taylor Hicks got out of it by striking out Brandon Elmy.
Jared Cheek worked a perfect ninth for Georgia to preserve the win and notch the save, his second of the season.
Furman starting pitcher Matt Solter handcuffed Georgia over the game’s first five innings, allowing only a run on five hits while recording a career-high 10 strikeouts.
The Paladins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the fourth after Landon Kay delivered a leadoff double and scored on an Ohmstede single to left-center field.
Georgia tied it in the fifth when Stephen Wrenn reached on a two-out bunt single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on Skyler Weber single.
Furman went up 3-1 in the sixth after Ohmstede singled with one out and advanced to third on a Chisolm double. Whitehead followed with a line-drive single to center field that tied the game at 3-3.
Led by Chisolm’s 3-for-4 performance at the plate, the Paladins out-hit Georgia, 10-9. Ohmstede finished with two hits along with Whitehead.
Paladin pitchers combined to record 14 strikeouts in the contest.
Ryan Avidano (1-0) was the beneficiary of Georgia’s three-run sixth, earning the victory after allowing three runs on seven hits over six frames.
The loss was charged to Matthew Quarles (0-1).
Furman entertains Marist in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday with a 4 p.m. game.
Western Carolina vs. Valparaiso halted
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Game two of the midweek nonconference series between Western Carolina and Valparaiso was halted on Tuesday evening due to rain in the top half of the third inning. The two teams will resume the contest on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch at 4 p.m.
Misting rain began peppering the field in the second inning on Tuesday afternoon before becoming more steady showers as the frame progressed. The umpires called the teams from the field and the field tarp was pulled just after 5 p.m., nearly an hour into the contest.
Valparaiso holds a 4-3 lead over the Catamounts after scoring four in the top of the first inning. WCU pushed across a two-spot in the bottom of the frame after a double by freshman Caleb Robinson and a two-run home run by senior Bradley Strong, his first of the season.
Western Carolina trimmed the deficit to its current margin in the bottom of the second inning, loading the bases on a trio of singles by Kramer Ferrell, Pierce Suttles and an infield base knock by Austin Atwell. The next batter, freshman Brett Pope, then sharply grounded out to the right side of the infield, allowing Ferrell to race home for the Catamounts' third marker.
Samford vs. UAB postponed
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team's home game against UAB, originally scheduled for Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field, has been postponed due to poor field conditions.
The game will now be played on April 29 at 6 p.m. CDT at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Samford's next scheduled game is set for Wednesday at 6 p.m. CST against in-state rival Jacksonville State.