Mercer 16, VMI 11
LEXINGTON, Va. – The Mercer University baseball team scored five runs in the ninth inning to rally for a 16-11 victory over VMI on Sunday afternoon, sweeping the Southern Conference series at Gray-Minor Stadium.
Mercer (29-18, 14-6 SoCon) broke open an 11-11 tie in the top of the ninth with five runs, adding to its conference-leading win total. Nate Moorhouse led off the frame with a single up the middle before scoring the game-winning run on a throwing error following Devin Bonin’s single.
Trey Truitt’s sacrifice fly added an insurance run for a 13-11, but the Bears would keep the rally going with back-to-back two-out hits. Danny Edgeworth pushed the lead to four, 15-11, on a single to right field before Howard Joe drove him in with a single down the left-field line to wrap up the scoring.
Ben Lumsden recorded the final three outs for his second victory of the season, as the senior helped lead the comeback with back-to-back scoreless frames to close out the game.
The Bears had a season-high 20 hits in the contest, the program’s most since putting up 20 hits in a victory over Alabama State during the 2014 campaign. Seven players had multiple-hit performances on the afternoon, led by four-hit efforts from Edgeworth and Howard Joe. Joe, Kyle Lewis and Charlie Madden each had three RBIs to pace the team.
Mercer got off to another strong start, scoring the first run of the contest for the third time this series. Lewis blasted his third home run of the weekend, taking the first pitch of his at-bat over the center-field wall to score the first three runs of the game. The Bears added another run later in the inning, as Joe’s single plated Edgeworth for a 4-0 advantage.
VMI (15-26, 8-10 SoCon) answered in the bottom half of the inning, cutting the deficit to one, 4-3, on Matt Winn’s three-run home run to straight-away center field.
The Bears put up another four runs in a big third inning. Joe drove in his second run of the day to kick off the fireworks, helping Truitt cross the plate with a single up the middle. Moments later, Madden added three more runs on one swing, blasting a shot to left field to grow the lead to five, 8-3.
The Keydets scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, tallying four hits in the frame to trim the deficit to three, 8-5.
However, Mercer responded in the top of the fifth, as Matt Meeder’s RBI single pushed the lead to four, 9-5. The Bears would tack on another run in the sixth on Edgeworth’s run-scoring single through the right side for a 10-5 lead.
VMI continued the slugfest in the bottom of the sixth, pulling within two, 10-8, on Winn’s second three-run home run of the contest.
The Bears added another run in the top of the seventh on Bonin’s single down the right-field line, but the Keydets knotted the game in the home half. VMI put together three straight hits, before David Geary’s single down the left-field line drove in two of the team’s three runs in the inning to tie the game, 11-11.
The Bears return to action next Wednesday, May 6, when they host Georgia Tech at Claude Smith Field for a 6 p.m. The game is held in conjunction with The Big Bear event, presented by BB&T.
VMI will now break for exams and will return to action Friday, playing host to the Spartans of UNCG at 6 p.m. to open the team's final SoCon home series of the season.
ETSU 7, Furman 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Freshman right-hander Ryan Simpler allowed two runs in a career-high seven innings, while six Buccaneers finished with multi-hit games as ETSU defeated Furman, 7-3, in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Latham Stadium.
ETSU (18-29, 6-12 SoCon) scored three first-inning runs, while Simpler took a shutout into the seventh inning before surrendering a pair of solo home runs; however, the Blue and Gold struck for three runs in the ninth to seal the conference victory.
Simpler, who earned his first win since defeating Radford on March 3, recorded his first SoCon win (2-4), while junior Josh Jacques tossed the final two innings for his first save as a Buccaneer. Simpler (four strikeouts) and Jacques (one strikeout) combined for five strikeouts and zero walks, marking the third time this season ETSU pitchers did not allow a walk. The Bucs are 3-0 in those contests.
Offensively, Jeremy Taylor, Kevin Phillips, Trey York, Jordan Sanford, Aaron Maher and Christian Bailey all finished with multi-hit games. Taylor (22 games) and Sanford (20 games) kept their streaks of reaching safely intact, while York led the group by tying a career high with three hits, along with scoring and driving in one run. Taylor and Sanford both totaled two hits and scored two runs each, and Bailey went 2-for-4 with one RBI for his third collegiate multi-hit game in 11 starts. Phillips also registered two hits, scored a run and drove in two of ETSU’s three ninth-inning runs.
As a team, the Bucs pounded out 15 hits – their most in conference play this season – and it was the 24th time the Blue and Gold recorded double-digit hits on the campaign.
Like they did all series, ETSU jumped out to an early lead as the Bucs scored three runs on four hits and took advantage of one Furman error to go ahead, 3-0, in the top of the first. Taylor ignited the surge by reaching on a leadoff double and came around to score on York’s bloop single to right. From there, Sanford continued his hot hitting by doubling home York, and the senior outfielder hustled home when Maher reached on a two-out fielding error by Ryan Morse at first.
Following the explosive start by the Blue and Gold, the game turned into a pitcher’s duel as neither team scored until Bailey’s two-out RBI single in the sixth plated Sanford, making it a 4-0 score. Prior to Sanford’s two-out single, Furman starter Will Gaddis faced the minimum following the first inning.
Simpler took a shutout into the seventh inning but had his run of retiring 12 straight Furman hitters snapped after allowing a leadoff home run to Morse, while Jordan Simpson followed suit with a blast to left-center, cutting the Paladins’ deficit to two, 4-2.
After leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, ETSU made up for the offensive miscue an inning later as the first three Buccaneers reached to start the ninth and Phillips drove in Robby McCabe and Taylor with a two-run scoring single and he eventually scored on a fielder’s-choice RBI by Sanford, extending the lead to five, 7-2.
Simpson connected on a one-out homer in the bottom of the ninth, but Jacques bounced back by retiring two of the next three hitters to earn the save.
Gaddis suffered the loss (3-5) after allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits in eight innings.
Morse, Simpson and Cameron Whitehead all finished with two hits, while the Paladins were out-hit, 15-10.
The Bucs return home to host Winthrop on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. at Thomas Stadium.
Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it entertains Charleston Southern in a 6 p.m. game at Latham Stadium.
Samford 4, The Citadel 3 (10 innings)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford junior shortstop Danny Rodriguez delivered a walk-off single to drive in junior first baseman Alex Lee in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 win over The Citadel in the final game of a Southern Conference series Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Andres Gracia (1-0) pitched the final three innings for Samford, allowing no runs on just one hit to pick up the win. Tristan Widra started the game and pitched five innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Mark Donham pitched two innings in relief, giving up just one unearned run on two hits. The three pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and just two walks, with one of the walks being an intentional walk in the ninth inning.
Offensively for Samford, Rodriguez went 3-for-3 with one RBI. Lee went 2-for-5 at the plate for Samford. Hunter Swilling hit his SoCon-leading 15th home run of the season, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Richard Greene and Frankie Navarrete also drove in a run each in the win.
For The Citadel, Steven Hansen went 3-for-4 at the plate. Austin Mapes went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI for the visitors. Skylar Hunter (2-6) pitched two innings, giving up one run on two hits to take the loss on the mound for The Citadel.
The Citadel jumped on top first with a run in the first inning and another run in the second for an early 2-0 lead. In the first inning, Mapes led the game off with a home run to right field for the contest's first run. In the second inning, Hansen tripled with one out. Hansen then scored when William Kinney grounded out to second base for a two-run Citadel lead.
Samford put its first run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Swilling homered to left field to cut The Citadel's lead to 2-1.
Samford took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lee singled to left field and Damon Waller walked to start the inning. Both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez. Lee then scored the game-tying run on a ground out by Greene. Navarrete then singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Waller for a 3-2 Samford lead.
The Citadel tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh inning. Ryan Kilgallen reached base on a Samford error to start the inning. Shy Phillips then pinch ran for Kilgallen. Phillips advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Watcher and then to third base when Mapes reached base on an infield single. Phillips then scored on another Samford error to knot the score at 3-3.
Neither team could score again until the bottom of the 10th inning. Lee led the inning off with a double to right field. Gregory Mula then moved Lee to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Rodriguez then singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Lee for the 4-3 Samford win.
With the win, Samford improves to 25-21 overall and 11-7 in Southern Conference play. The Citadel drops to 20-26 overall and 5-13 in league play.
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, May 5, when the Bulldogs play at in-state rival Jacksonville State. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. CDT start from Rudy Abbott Field.
The Citadel does not have a midweek game and is back in action when it hosts ETSU beginning Friday at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs will recognize returning members of their 1990 College World Series team, including ETSU head coach Tony Skole, on Saturday and will celebrate Senior Day on Sunday.
UNCG 14, Wofford 7
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG blitzed Wofford for 10 runs in the first three innings Sunday afternoon as the Spartans salvaged the series finale by a 14-7 margin at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. The victory snapped a seven-game skid in the series with the Terriers.
The Blue and Gold avoided the series sweep and have not been on either side of a three-game sweep in conference play this season.
UNCG (21-22, 11-10 SoCon) matched its season high with 19 hits, of which nine went for extra bases. The Spartans upped their season home run total to 49 with three long balls in the early part of the contest. Wofford (32-16, 10-7 SoCon) scored its seven runs on nine hits but was limited to just one run in the first six innings.
The Blue and Gold improved to 7-0 when scoring 10 or more runs and 16-7 when tallying double figures in the hit column. UNCG has notched 10 or more hits in 11 of its last 14 outings.
In his first collegiate decision, freshman RHP Chad Sykes picked up the win after throwing a career-high six innings. He allowed just one run on four hits with a personal-best eight strikeouts. Adam Scott was saddled with the loss and dropped to 6-3, surrendering seven runs on eight hits in just 1 1/3 innings of work.
Senior Hunter King had a monster day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a double, two home runs and a career-high seven RBIs – the most runs driven in by a Southern Conference player this season. Sophomore Jake Kusz was a perfect 4-for-4 in the game as he ended up driving in four runs and scoring one.
A trio of Spartan hitting streaks remained intact as senior Tyler Long established a 2015 SoCon best 15-game streak with a 2-for-4 performance. Classmates Eric Kalbfleisch and Aaron Wright stretched theirs to 10 games apiece.
The UNCG offense went to work straight away as MacAneney led off the bottom of the first with an infield single. King then drove a 1-1 pitch over the batters eye in center to put the Spartans on top 2-0. Wright then scored after a double and a Kusz single to center as the Blue and Gold exited the first frame with a 3-0 advantage.
Freshman Tripp Shelton laced a double over James Plaisted’s head in right field to christen the bottom of the second before fellow rookie Austin Embler laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that he beat out for a single. After senior Zac MacAneney reached on a fielder’s choice, King ripped a double right down the line in left field to plate both runners and make it 5-0. Wright kept the party going with a no-doubt home run that he crushed over the scoreboard in right center and extended the UNCG cushion to 7-0.
Sykes ran into a little trouble in the top of the third as he allowed two runners to reach scoring position, but he induced a pop up off the bat of Conor Clancey to erase the Terriers.
A Kusz single and Long double had the Blue and Gold in business in the bottom of the third and Shelton was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs on the board. After a pop up out kept the runners where they were, MacAneney reached on a fielder’s choice and Kusz crossed home plate to push the lead to 8-0. That brought up King, who took a 1-0 pitch and hammered it over the fence in left-center for his second long ball of the day and gave UNCG an 11-0 cushion.
The teams traded runs in the fourth inning before Kusz made it 14-1 in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run single through the right side. Wofford scored six runs in the final three innings long after the game had been decided.
The Spartans return to action next weekend when they close their Southern Conference schedule at VMI. The Blue and Gold and Keydets begin the three-game series Friday at 6 p.m. from Gray-Minor Stadium.
The Terriers will host Clemson on Tuesday night, followed by a trip to South Carolina on Wednesday. Wofford will then play Furman beginning on Friday night in the final home series of the season.