No. 1 Vanderbilt 6, Wofford 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Wofford College baseball team was defeated 6-0 by Vanderbilt on Tuesday night at Hawkins field. The Commodores scored twice in the first inning to take the lead and used a strong pitching performance to shut out the Terriers.
Wofford is 23-8 overall, while Vanderbilt is 23-6 overall. The Terriers were led by Conor Clancey with three of Wofford’s seven hits. It was the first time this season Wofford has been shut out. The Commodores, ranked first in the nation, had 13 hits on the night. Dansby Swanson had three hits to lead the team.
Vanderbilt led off the bottom half of the first with Ro Coleman reaching on an error and a single by Rhett Wiseman. Another single loaded the bases. A double play scored one run and a single drove in a second run for a 2-0 lead after the first inning.
Kody Ruedisili walked with one out in the top of the second inning and Clancey followed with a single. With two out, Derek Hirsch walked to load the bases. A groundout ended the scoring threat for the Terriers with three runners stranded.
With one out in the top of the fifth, Alec Paradowski singled through the middle and Matt Ramsay singled through the left side. Matt Pelt had an infield single to load the bases with two outs. A fielder’s choice ended the top of the fifth with three runners stranded.
In the bottom of the fifth, Vanderbilt opened with a solo home run by Jason Delay for a 3-0 lead. The Commodores added a single and a walk with two outs. The Commodores attempted to score on a single to left field, but the runner was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Vanderbilt led off the sixth with a single by Will Toffey. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a wild pitch. A two-out single by Jason Delay drove in a run for a 4-0 advantage.
Vanderbilt opened the seventh with a walk, and a triple by Dansby Swanson drove in the run for a 5-0 lead. Swanson scored on a wild pitch to make it a 6-0 game at the end of the seventh.
Wofford starting pitcher Elliot Lance (2-1) threw 5 2/3 innings with four runs allowed on nine hits. He struck out six batters and walked a pair.
Kyle Wright (3-0) started for Vanderbilt and went five innings without allowing a run on five hits, along with five strikeouts and three walks.
The Commodores are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and won the 2014 College World Series. Wofford now has a 0-4 record against No. 1 teams, having also played Arizona State twice in 2008 and South Carolina once in 2011.
The Terriers will conclude the midweek series on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT at Vanderbilt. Wofford returns to Southern Conference action on Friday night at Western Carolina.
No. 13 South Carolina 2, The Citadel 0
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Three South Carolina pitchers limited The Citadel to two hits, handing the Bulldogs a 2-0 loss before a crowd of 5,972 on Tuesday at Riley Park.
The Bulldogs managed only an infield single by Jacob Watcher leading off the third and a two-out single by Bret Hines in the eighth. The Citadel lost its sixth in a row and dropped to 14-13 on the year while the Gamecocks improved to 20-9.
Cody Mincey, the second South Carolina pitcher, entered in the fifth and allowed only the base hit by Hines while striking out a career-high seven in four innings to earn the win, evening his record at 1-1. Taylor Widener worked a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for his seventh save.
Thomas Byelick went the first four innings for The Citadel and surrendered three hits and one run with three strikeouts. The Gamecocks reached him for the only run they would need in the second when Elliott Caldwell tripled to the wall in left-center and scored on a sacrifice fly by Madison Stokes.
Stokes, a freshman, is the younger brother of Bulldog senior shortstop Johnathan Stokes.
Clutch pitching and a pair of throws by Austin Mapes in left kept The Citadel in the game. South Carolina loaded the bases with one out in the third, but Byelick got Kyle Martin and Caldwell to pop out to second to end the threat.
Kevin Connell replaced Byelick in the fifth and went two perfect innings before the Bulldogs staged their biggest threat of the game without the benefit of a hit in the sixth. Jason Smith was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a stolen base and passed ball but was stranded 90 feet away from tying the game.
With Bret Tompkins on the mound in the seventh, the Gamecocks loaded the bases with one out. Gene Cone lofted a fly ball to left, and Mapes gunned down pinch-runner Clark Scolamiero to keep it a one-run game.
Watcher pitched the eighth and found himself in a second-and-third, nobody-out situation when Mapes again erased a runner at the plate, nailing Jordan Gore on a fly out by Martin. However, Caldwell followed with an RBI single to plate Max Schrock and give South Carolina an insurance run.
Connor Walsh went 0-for-4 and saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end. Smith extended his streak of reaching base to 18 games with his hit by pitch.
The Bulldogs remain at Riley Park for their first Southern Conference home series of the season against Mercer. The three-game set begins Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues on Friday at 5 and Saturday at 1.
Clemson 5, Furman 4
CLEMSON, S.C. – Chase Pinder was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning to force home Tyler Slaton, giving Clemson a 5-4 win over Furman in baseball action Tuesday evening at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
With the bases jammed, Pinder worked the count full against Paladin reliever Elliott Warford, but Warford’s full-count offering hit Pinder, forcing in Slaton for the game-winner.
The victory improved Clemson to 14-13 on the season, while Furman fell to 12-5.
Warford walked Slaton to start the ninth and then yielded a single to Steven Duggar to put runners at first and third base. After an intentional walk loaded the bases with no outs, Warford battled back to retire Reed Rohlman on a pop fly and strike out Chris Okey for the second out. But the Paladin right-hander fell behind with a three-ball, one-strike count to Pinder before a strike loaded the count. His sixth pitch, however, bounced off Pinder’s his arm to end the game.
Furman scored an unearned run in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead, but Clemson responded with a three-run Chris Okey home run off Paladin starter Matthew Quarles in the bottom of fourth.
The Tigers made it 4-1 with a run in the fifth before the Paladins answered with a three-run seventh that tied the game. Blake Chisolm’s RBI double scored Chris Ohmstede to make it 4-2, and Jordan Simpson came home on a Cameron Whitehead sacrifice fly that cut it to 4-3. Two batters later, Matt Towarnicky lined the first pitch he saw from Drew Moyer into right-center field to plate Chiscolm for the game-tying run.
The Paladins failed to extend the rally, however, when Taylo Vetzel came on in relief to strike out Jake Jones and Griffin Davis with the bases loaded.
Warford entered the game in the game in the seventh and got out of bases-loaded jam by striking out Pinder for the final out.
Vetzel worked the final 2 2/3 innings to notch the win. He struck out four.
Warford (3-1) took the loss, yielding a run on two hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings. He struck out four.
Both teams collected eight hits, with Chisolm leading Furman with a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI and run.
Tyler Krieger went 4-for-4 and with an RBI and a run to pace the Tigers.
Morehead State 16, ETSU 9
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Morehead State scored eight fourth-inning runs – highlighted by Brandon Rawe’s grand slam – and the Eagles soared past ETSU, 16-9, on Tuesday night at Thomas Stadium.
The Bucs, who outscored Morehead State 13-3 to rally for a 17-14 win two weeks ago in Kentucky, didn’t have another late comeback in them at home.
After Kevin Phillips and Hagen Owenby hit back-to-back third-inning home runs to put the Blue and Gold ahead, 3-2, the Eagles took the wind out of the Buccaneer sails by pushing eight runs across in the top of the fourth to secure the seven-run win.
ETSU’s pitchers served up a season-high 20 hits, while the Buccaneer offense totaled 16, marking the 16th time this year the Blue and Gold have registered double-digit hits.
Six Buccaneers finished with multi-hit games as senior Jordan Sanford – who replaced Robby McCabe in the fourth inning – went 3-for-3 with one double, a run scored, an RBI and a walk. Sophomore Chris Cook extended his hit streak to 11 games as he went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Phillips’ two-run towering bomb in the third extended his streak of reaching base safely to 21 consecutive games. Fellow junior Trey York went 2-for-4 with a double and scored two runs, and Owenby ended with two hits (home run and double) and drove in two runs. Freshman Aaron Maher blasted his first collegiate home run with a solo shot in the eighth and also singled in the ninth.
Freshman right-hander Ryan Simpler took the loss (1-3) after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in three innings of work, while five Buccaneers were used out of the bullpen. Sophomore Connor Bartow scattered two hits and struck out a pair of Morehead State hitters in one inning of relief and freshman Logan Gentry tossed a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts.
Following the setback, ETSU dipped to 12-15, while the Eagles won their third straight, improving to 14-13.
Morehead State jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in the second and third inning, but the Bucs answered with their three-run third en route to taking their only lead of the night.
The one-run lead quickly evaporated in the top of the fourth as Rawe belted his second home run of the night with his grand slam, and the Eagles sent 12 hitters to the plate in the inning, while ETSU committed three of its four errors in the frame. Along with Rawe’s homer, Kane Sweeney, Alex Stephens, Tyler Niemann and Braxton Morris also drove in runs for the Eagles in the fourth.
The Eagles – who pushed across runs in all but three innings on the night – scored two runs in the fifth, seventh and eighth.
Phillips drove in his other two runs with a single in ETSU’s three-run fifth, while Maher’s home run to right and Cook’s RBI single to left accounted for the Bucs’ two runs in the eighth. Scott Hoilman, Danny Carrier, Maher and Sanford registered four ninth-inning hits for the Buccaneers, while Hoilman scored on Sanford’s infield single.
Morehead State starter Patrick McGuff allowed four runs on three hits in four innings before leaving with an injury in the fifth. Brent Stoneking entered out of the pen to earn the win (1-0). Stoneking was charged with four runs (three earned) on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings.
The Eagles saw eight batters register hits in the victory, while six recorded multi-hit efforts. Rawe – who drove in five and scored four runs – led the charge with his 4-for-5 night.
The Bucs open a three-game nonconference road series Thursday night at Saint Louis. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. (ET) at the Billiken Sports Complex.
Virginia Tech 6, VMI 5
BLACKSBURG, Va. – An eighth-inning single by Phil Sciretta broke a 5-5 tie and helped the Virginia Tech Hokies edge the VMI Keydets, 6-5, in nonconference baseball action Tuesday night at English Field.
The Keydets (6-15) had rallied from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game in the seventh inning, but Sean Keselica led off the Hokie eighth with a ground ball toward the middle. Jordan Tarsovich ranged far to his right and threw from the outfield, but his throw bounced for an error. Keselica was then bunted to second and Sciretta followed with a pinch-hit ground-ball single up the middle, scoring the eventual winning run.
Kyle Staats (0-1) was the victim of the eighth-inning unearned run, as he took the loss while Chris Monaco (2-0) won despite giving up a game-tying home run to Tarsovich in the seventh. Sean Kennedy pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
The Hokies (16-14) jumped ahead in the second inning, when Joe Freiday Jr. doubled home a run to make it 1-0. Tech pushed the margin to 4-0 in the fourth, thanks to an RBI double by Brendon Hayden, a fielder's choice out by Freiday and a RBI single by Logan Bible.
The Keydets rallied in the sixth, when Peyton Maddox singled with one out for his first collegiate hit. David Geary followed with a single and Tarsovich walked to load the bases, setting up a two-run double by Brandon Angus that cut the Tech lead to 4-2.
The Hokies got a run back in the sixth, but VMI tied it in the seventh. Collin Fleischer led off with a walk and Jacob Jaye followed with one of his own. An infield hit for Maddox loaded the bases, and Geary got a run home by hitting into a double play to make it 5-3. Tarsovich, the next hitter, launched a 3-2 changeup over the left-center field wall for his fourth home run of the year, tying the game at 5.
The Hokies broke that tie in the eighth to account for the final margin.
Neither starter figured in the decision, as Jonathan Kelley was knocked out in the fifth having allowed four runs, while Kit Scheetz left the game up 5-2 after giving up two runs on seven hits over six innings. For Kelley, the outing equaled the longest outing of the senior's collegiate career.
Offensively, the Keydets saw Matt Winn (three hits) and Maddox (two hits) lead the way, while Brendon Hayden was 2-for-4 to lead the home team.
VMI will return to action Wednesday, as the Keydets travel to Charlottesville, Va., to take on the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.
Kennesaw State 9, Western Carolina 2
KENNESAW, Ga. – Senior Jacob Hoyle belted a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to pull Western Carolina back to within two runs, 4-2, in Tuesday night’s midweek nonconference meeting with Kennesaw State. However, the Owls responded with a 3-spot in the bottom of the inning, adding two insurance runs late to down the Catamounts, 9-2.
Kennesaw State pushed across all nine of its markers in four multi-run innings, including three two-run frames and the decisive three-run fifth.
Hoyle, who didn’t start but came on as a substitution after an injury to catcher Spencer Holcomb forced WCU to rotate players, finished 2-for-3 at the plate, adding a double to his second home run of the season. The Hickory, N.C., native now has 31 career homers, moving into a three-way tie for 17th in school history.
Junior Danny Bermudez recorded his 10th multi-hit game with a 2-for-4 showing at the dish as the only other Catamount with multiple hits. The Cumming, Ga., product reached on a bunt single and legged out an eighth-inning triple.
Kennesaw State (15-13) scored two unearned runs in the first inning without recording a base hit, capitalizing on a pair of walks and an infield error that drove home the first run. The Owls scored a second run on a pitch that got away at home plate to pull ahead, 2-0.
In the fourth, KSU used back-to-back singles from Jeremy Howell and Corey Greeson to put two aboard ahead of Kal Simmons, who plated a pair of runs with a double to left-center field, stretching the lead to 4-0.
Austin Atwell delivered a one-out single in the top of the fifth and was aboard when Hoyle’s first-pitch round-tripper trimmed the margin back to two, 4-2. However, the Owls got a two-RBI triple by Cornell Nixon and a run-scoring double down the left-field line from Howell to pull ahead, 7-2, in the bottom of the frame.
Kennesaw State tacked on two runs in the bottom of the eighth to provide the final tally, 9-2.
WCU junior starter Taylor Durand (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on two hits with four walks against three strikeouts over three innings. Durand was the first of six Catamount pitchers used on the night. Danny Schneider walked two with a strikeout in an inning and a third of relief, while Nate Williams fanned two with four walks. Jonathan Waszak had one punch out in 2/3 of a frame.
Left-hander Chris Erwin (2-2) picked up the victory for Kennesaw State, limiting WCU to two runs while scattering seven hits with a pair of strikeouts. Erwin also walked twice at the plate offensively. KSU had two players post multi-hit games, with Howell going 3-for-4 with two doubles and Simmons finishing 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Western Carolina (12-13) returns home to host the Wofford Terriers in Southern Conference action at Childress Field / Hennon Stadium. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. with game two slated for a 2 p.m. start Saturday. Sunday’s series finale, which will also be broadcast on WMYA-TV and the American Sports Network, is scheduled for a 1:05 p.m. first pitch. The first two games will be video streamed on the SoCon Digital Network.
Auburn 9, Samford 4
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team dropped a 9-4 decision to Auburn on Tuesday night at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
For Samford offensively, Heath Quinn went 3-for-5 with a home run and one RBI. Alex Lee also went 3-for-5 for the Bulldogs. Jared Watson, Hunter Swilling and Danny Rodriguez also drove in a run each for Samford.
Jesse Travis (0-2) pitched one inning in relief, giving up two runs on three hits to take the loss on the mound for Samford. Tristan Widra started the game and tossed four innings, giving up three runs on five hits. Cole Limbaugh, Philip Flach and Mikel Belcher also pitched in the game for Samford.
Auburn was led at the plate by Kyler Deese, who went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Anfernee Grier went 3-for-5 for the Tigers. Damon Haecker, Daniel Robert and Melvin Gray had two hits each for Auburn.
Rocky McCord (2-2) pitched five innings, giving up three runs on eight hits to earn the win on the mound for Auburn. Justin Camp tossed 1 1/3 innings, giving up no runs on one hit to pick up his fifth save of the season.
Samford jumped on top first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs in the inning, Quinn hit his sixth home run of the season to left field for a 1-0 Samford lead.
Auburn tied the game with a run in the top of the third inning. Haecker singled up the middle to drive in Grier to knot the score at 1-1.
Samford took the lead again with a run in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, T.J. Dixon doubled to start the rally. With two outs, Swilling singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Dixon, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
Auburn took the lead for the first time with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Deese singled up the middle to drive in Robert to tie the score at 2-2. Gray later scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by Ben Craft for a 3-2 Auburn lead.
Samford answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to tie the score again at 3-3. Austin Edens walked to lead off the inning. Edens advanced to second base on an infield single by Lee and third base on a fly out by Damon Waller. Rodriguez then singled up the middle to drive in Edens for the game-tying run.
Auburn took the lead for good with two runs in the fifth inning. Robert doubled to right field to drive in Grier for the inning's first run. Gray then doubled to center field to drive in Robert for a 5-3 Auburn lead.
Samford cut the Auburn lead to 5-4 with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Waller walked to lead off the inning and advanced to second base on a groundout by Rodriguez. With two outs, Waller advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Watson then singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Waller to bring Samford to within one run of Auburn.
The Tigers took control of the game with three runs in the seventh inning. Gray singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Haecker for the first run of the inning. Deese then hit a two-run home run for an 8-4 Auburn lead.
Auburn added one final run in the top of the ninth inning to make the final score 9-4. Haecker was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and later scored from third base on a groundout by Robert.
With the loss, Samford falls to 11-15 overall on the season. Auburn improves to 18-11 with the win.
Samford will host Alabama A&M on Wednesday at 6 p.m. CDT at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Mercer vs. Savannah State suspended
MACON, Ga. – Due to inclement weather, the Mercer University baseball team’s game with Savannah State has been suspended with the Bears holding onto a 16-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning. The two teams will resume the contest on April 21 in Savannah, Ga., as part of a twin bill at Tiger Baseball Field.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the third, Mercer exploded for a season-high 13 runs to blow the game open. The Bears reached double-figure runs in an inning for the first time since the 2013 campaign, when they scored 10 times during the sixth frame of the team’s 18-3 win over Florida A&M.
Matt Meeder scored the first run of the inning on a balk before Howard Joe’s double to left-center plated Danny Edgeworth and Charlie Madden. The Bears would add four more runs on one swing as Trey Truitt hit his second grand slam of the season for a 9-3 lead.
Madden continued the surge in his second at-bat of the inning, doubling down the left-field line to drive in Meeder. Two batters later, Nate Moorhouse would cross the plate thanks to Joe’s bases-loaded walk before Jackson Ware continued the fireworks. The freshman hit the team’s second grand slam of the inning to push the Bears’ lead to 15-3 and close out the scoring for the frame.
Mercer added another run in the fourth inning on Moorhouse’s sacrifice fly before thunderstorms halted play in the fifth.
The Bears resume Southern Conference play later this week, as they travel to Charleston, S.C., for a three-game series with The Citadel. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, at Joseph P. Riley Park.