Furman 9, The Citadel 8
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Cameron Whitehead’s two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning gave Furman the lead and Ryan Griffith and Elliott Warford combined to keep it that way over the final two innings to deliver a 9-8 win over The Citadel in Southern Conference baseball action Friday at Latham Stadium.
The victory squares the series between the Paladins (24-30, 11-12 SoCon) and Bulldogs (24-28, 9-14 SoCon) at a game apiece heading into Saturday’s 1 p.m. finale. More importantly, though, it ensured Furman would avoid next Tuesday’s Southern Conference Championship single elimination play-in game between the eighth and ninth seeds, which will now be The Citadel and ETSU.
A Furman win over The Citadel on Saturday will give the Paladins the SoCon tournament’s No. 5 seed, while a loss to the Bulldogs will send Furman into tournament play at Charleston’s Joseph P. Riley Park as the No. 6 seed.
Whitehead’s go-ahead hit to right-center field came on the second pitch he saw from Bulldog reliever Austin Mason (1-2) and drove home Chris Ohmstede and Jordan Simpson, who had opened the frame with an infield single and ground-rule double down the left-field line, respectively. Mason battled back to strike out Brandon Elmy and Landon Kay, but he couldn’t get Whitehead, whose decisive base knock gave the sophomore catcher a measure of redemption from Thursday night’s game, when his blistering line drive in the eighth inning with the go-ahead run at second base was snagged in a leaping grab by Bulldog shortstop Johnathan Stokes.
Warford relieved Griffith with one down and a runner on in the eighth and retired the two batters he faced to end the inning.
Paladin shortstop Sims Griffith’s throwing error put Stokes on base to start the ninth. After a wild pitch and a groundout moved Stokes to third, Warford hit Citadel’s Stephen Windham with a pitch but rallied to strike out Drew Ellis for the second out and get Clay Martin on a pop into short left field to end the game.
Whitehead went 2-for-4 and also scored a run in the contest that saw Furman grab a 4-0 first-inning lead against Bulldog starting pitcher JP Sears. An RBI single by Griffin Davis opened the scoring, and Ohmstede’s two-run double into the left-field corner made it 3-0. Elmy completed the outburst with a sacrifice fly.
The Bulldogs chipped away at the lead, tallying a run in the third and another in the fourth before tagging Paladin starting pitcher Matthew Quarles for five runs in the fifth to go up 7-4, the big blows coming on a Connor Walsh two-run single and Windham’s two-run home run to left field.
Furman answered with two in its half of the fifth on Ohmstede’s second double of the game and a Simpson RBI single — both coming with two outs — and tied it at 7-7 an inning later, taking advantage of a Bulldog error to score a run.
The Citadel regained the lead with a run in the seventh, but Whitehead’s two-run single in the Furman seventh erased the advantage.
Ohmstede went 3-for-4, drove in three runs, and scored three times to pace Furman’s 13-hit attack. His three RBIs improved his season total to 56, just four shy of the school record of 60 set by Brent Williams in 1991.
Jake Jones, Simpson and Grote collected two hits apiece for the Paladins.
Austin Mapes led The Citadel, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Windham and Ellis left the yard for the Bulldogs.
Ryan Griffith (1-2) pitched 2 1/3 innings of effective relief to earn the victory, allowing a run on one hit. He walked two and struck out two.
The save was the sixth on the season for Warford, who fanned two over the final 1 2/3 innings while not allowing a hit.
Mason was charged with the loss after working two innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits.
Furman will honor its nine seniors in ceremonies prior to Saturday’s regular season finale.
Mercer 8, Samford 5
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull out an 8-5 victory over Samford and claim the outright Southern Conference regular-season title on Senior Night at Claude Smith Field.
Mercer (31-20, 16-6 SoCon) came up with big hits down the stretch for the second straight night to continue its impressive run through the SoCon in its first year in the league. The conference title is the Bears’ second in the last three seasons, as they grabbed their fifth regular-season crown in program history.
Jackson Ware was hit by a pitch to start the eighth-inning rally before moving to second on Nate Moorhouse’s base on balls. Howard Joe loaded the bases with the single through the left side, setting up another big moment from Charlie Madden. The sophomore catcher smacked a two-run double to deep center field to break the tie before Joe scored on a wild pitch for a three-run advantage.
The Bears had their closer on the mound in the ninth, as Dimitri Kourtis picked up back-to-back strikeouts to work around a leadoff walk and finish off the victory. The senior right-hander recorded the win to improve to 3-1 on the year after tossing two hitless frames.
Parity was once again the story for the Mercer lineup, as six players found the hit column, including three with multiple-hit performances. Moorhouse and Matt Meeder each reached base three times to pace the club, while Madden and Kyle Lewis each drove in two runs on the night.
Mercer got another solid outing from starter Grant Papelian, as the senior gave up just two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. The Bears’ bullpen took over from there, holding one of the league’s top offenses to three runs, two earned, over the final 4 2/3 innings.
Samford (28-24, 13-10 SoCon) broke up a scoreless tie in the top of the third, as Southern Conference home-run leader Hunter Swilling hit his 16th long ball of the season, a solo shot to right field, for a 1-0 advantage.
The Bears tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth after Moorhouse blasted a solo home run of his own to right field.
Samford answered in the top of the fifth with an RBI single from Austin Edens for a 2-1 advantage, but Mercer seniors Mitchell Wade and Morgan Pittman recorded the final two outs in relief to leave the bases loaded.
Mercer used that momentum to plate three runs in the home half, grabbing its first lead of the game. Meeder drove in Madden with a double down the right-field line before Lewis matched Swilling at 16 home runs on the year with a two-run shot to center field for a 4-2 advantage.
The Bears added another run in the bottom of the sixth, as Ware led off the frame with a solo homer to right field to push the lead to 5-2.
Samford tied the game, 5-5, in the seventh, doing all of its work with two outs to plate three runs in the frame. Frankie Navarrete started the scoring with a two-run single before a Mercer error allowed the tying run to score. Mercer’s clutch hitting in the eighth was the difference, though, helping the team claim its sixth league series.
The Bears will go for the sweep Saturday, as first pitch for the series finale with Samford is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
ETSU 6, Wofford 3
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Senior right-hander Jimmy Nesselt allowed one unearned run and struck out nine in five innings of work, while freshman Hagen Owenby belted a three-run home run in the first inning as ETSU defeated Wofford, 6-3, in the series opener on Friday night at Thomas Stadium.
Nesselt (5-6), who was making his last start in Thomas Stadium, earned the win as he limited the Terriers to four hits and was removed after the fifth inning due to a pitch count as ETSU opens the Southern Conference Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties on Tuesday morning in Charleston, S.C. Junior right-hander Lee Haeberle tossed two scoreless innings in relief, while fellow junior Griffin Krieg allowed two runs on three hits and struck out two in two innings out of the pen.
In total, ETSU’s pitchers totaled 14 strikeouts to only two walks on Friday, while Nesselt pushed his season total to 103, becoming the first Buccaneer hurler since Reid Casey to register more than 100 strikeouts in a season. Casey set the single-season record with 107 in 2001.
Owenby’s blast was his sixth of the season, while junior Jeremy Taylor extended his streak of reaching base to 28 straight games as he led off the first inning with a single and trotted home on the three-run home run. Sophomore Chris Cook also scored on the two-out long ball to center as he singled to left for one of ETSU’s eight hits on the night, while freshman Christian Bailey went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Bailey drove in the eventual game-winning run with a bases-loaded single in the seventh, while Taylor and Cook followed with sacrifice-fly RBIs later in the frame to tack on insurance runs.
The Bucs snapped their four-game skid and improved to 20-33, 7-15 in SoCon play, while Wofford dipped to 35-19, 12-9.
Wofford right-hander Matthew Milburn – who entered the night as the conference leader in wins – took the loss (9-3) as he was charged with three runs on six hits while striking out four and walking two in six innings of work. Meanwhile, freshman left-hander David Ehmen committed both fielding errors on sac-bunt attempts in the bottom of the seventh, resulting in two of the three runs given up being unearned.
Like the Bucs, Wofford totaled eight hits and was led by Conor Clancey, Carson Waln and Max McDougald, as they all finished with two hits each. McDougald drove in the Terriers’ first run with an RBI single in the top of the second inning, while Waln’s two-run scoring triple in the eighth brought home Matt Ramsay and Clancey.
The series will conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1:05 p.m., while the finale will follow approximately 40 minutes after the finish of game one.
VMI 11, Western Carolina 6 (game one)
Western Carolina 11, VMI 6 (game two)
CULLOWHEE, N.C. – VMI and Western Carolina split a doubleheader Friday, each winning by an 11-6 score. A three-run shot by Collin Fleischer broke a ninth-inning tie and Gary LeClair added a two-run shot as the Keydets rallied to down WCU in the opener, but a six-run Catamount eighth inning was the difference in the nightcap.
Despite the result, VMI's first loss in a doubleheader since March 15, the Keydets won the series 2-1 to win only their second series ever in Cullowhee in a series that dates back to 1971.
In game one, the Keydets (20-28, 12-12 SoCon) had squandered a 5-3 lead and trailed 6-5 going to the ninth, but WCU closer Tyler Powell was extremely wild. Powell hit Ray Lopez to start the inning and then threw two consecutive pitches to the backstop to allow Lopez to go to third. One out later, David Geary drove an RBI double to deep center to tie the game and Matt Winn was intentionally walked.
Fleischer then launched a three-run shot into the trees beyond left-center field for his third home run of the year, and one batter later, pinch-hitter LeClair hammered the first pitch he saw for a two-run homer to cap the scoring. LeClair's long ball was the first of his four-year career.
Josh Worthley (1-1) picked up the victory on the mound, pitching 1 1/3 innings and giving up one run, while Powell (2-3) took the loss as he was tagged for five runs and recorded just one out.
It was Western Carolina (21-28, 11-13) that jumped out to the early lead, as Bradley Strong got to Austin Heenan for a three-run home run in the first inning for a 3-0 Catamount lead. Those would be the only WCU runs off of Heenan, and the Keydets took the lead in the fourth.
A ringing double by Jordan Tarsovich scored Ray Lopez, and two batters later, Fleischer walked to force in a run. A two-run single for Connerley followed and gave VMI a 4-3 lead. Fleischer then scored on a passed ball charged to Danny Bermudez to push the margin to 5-3.
Neither team would score again until the seventh, when WCU’s Brett Pope reached on a bunt to lead off the inning. After a sacrifice bunt, Matthew Koehler was hit by a pitch, and one out later, a wild pitch moved up both runners. Matt Smith followed with a hard ground ball to shortstop that took a bad hop on Tarsovich, who then threw wildly to first. The single and error allowed two runs to score and tied the game, 5-5.
Kramer Ferrell then hit a solo home run off Worthley in the eighth to give WCU the lead and set the stage for VMI's dramatic ninth-inning rally.
Neither starter figured in the decision. Heenan went six innings and allowed three runs on four hits, while B.J. Nobles surrendered five runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out five.
Offensively, Tarsovich and Geary had two hits apiece, while Fleischer drove in four runs for the Keydets. Smith and Bermudez had two hits apiece for WCU.
In game two, the Keydets nursed a 6-5 lead into the eighth inning, but a two-out RBI single by WCU's Strong tied the game and things kept on from there. RBI singles by Pierce Suttles and Pope made it 8-6, and Jason Smith capped the scoring with a three-run home run off of Taylor Edens.
Jonathan Kelley (0-3) took the loss on the mound, as he was charged with two runs and did not retire a hitter. Brendan Nail moved to 3-3 with two scoreless innings.
WCU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Brandon Barbery. Matt Smith led off with a single, and three batters later, Suttles singled home a run to stake the Catamounts to an early lead.
The lead did not last long, however, as Matt Winn led off the second with one of his five walks on the day. Fleischer then followed with a long home run to left-center, his second in as many at-bats, to give the Keydets the lead. Two batters later, Peyton Maddox singled and Brandon Angus followed with a two-run shot to make it a 4-1 game.
Western tied it, 4-4, in the third. Bermudez reached on a throwing error to open the inning and one out later, Ferrell singled. Suttles then followed with a three-run shot to tie the score.
The Catamounts took the lead in the fourth on a home run by Bermudez, but the Keydets battled back in the fifth. Maddox led off with a single and one out later, advanced to second on a wild pitch. Lopez was hit by a pitch and Tarsovich singled to load the bases. Geary then followed with a two-run single to give the Keydets a lead they would hold until the eighth.
Offensively, Suttles was the standout of the game with his 3-for-5, five-RBI game. Maddox went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in his first career multi-hit game.
VMI clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties, while Western Carolina is locked into the seventh seed. The teams will open play at the tournament in Charleston, S.C., on Wednesday against opponents still to be determined.
Gardner-Webb 4, UNCG 3
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – UNCG wrapped up regular-season play Friday evening with a 4-3 nonconference loss at Gardner-Webb. The Spartans drop to 23-25, while the Runnin’ Bulldogs end their campaign at 22-31.
UNCG out-hit Gardner-Webb 10-4 and has recorded double figures in the hit column in three straight contests. Junior Collin Woody led the offensive efforts with three hits, a run scored, an RBI and a home run while senior Hunter King drove in a pair of runs.
Junior RHP Keaton Haack dropped to 0-1 after surrendering two runs (one earned) on no hits with three walks. Beau Hilton improved to 1-1, throwing 2 1/3 perfect innings and striking out four batters.
Both teams put a runner into scoring position in the top of the first but a strikeout in the top half and a fly ball out in the home half kept the game scoreless after one complete inning.
Tyler Best afforded the home team an 1-0 early advantage in the bottom of the third when he hit his fourth home run of the season with one away. Woody responded with his 10th long ball of the season in the top of the fourth to knot the score at 1. The scoring continued in the bottom of the fourth as Paul Trick recorded his first home run of the campaign – a solo shot that put the Runnin’ Bulldogs back in front 2-1.
Freshmen Tripp Shelton and Zach Almond led off the fifth with a double and single, respectively, before Almond took second base on a wild pitch. King plated both runners with a bouncer over the third baseman’s head but he was thrown out at second trying to stretch his hit into a double. Nonetheless, UNCG pulled back ahead by a 3-2 margin. After a strikeout put two outs on the board, Woody followed with a sharp single to left, but senior Eric Kalbfleisch was robbed of extra bases thanks to a nice catch by center fielder Henry Rundio at the center-field wall.
The Blue and Gold had a chance to add to its lead in the top of the sixth but with runners on the corners after a Shelton bunt single, Almond hit a ball on the screws on which Rundio made a running catch to keep UNCG off of the board.
Gardner-Webb capitalized on some Spartan miscues in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead. Tyler Best walked and stole second to lead off the half inning and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Ryan Hodge then drew a walk to put runners on the corners. From there, a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed two runs to come across and put the Runnin’ Bulldogs back in front 4-3.
The Spartans went down in order to end the game.
UNCG turns its attention to the 2015 Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties and will attempt to win its first SoCon tournament title and advance to its first NCAA regional since 1997. The Spartans’ first-round opponent and game time will be determined at the conclusion of Saturday’s league schedule.