Tuesday, April 26
Eagle Baseball Bests Kennesaw State, 4-1
KENNESAW, GA. – Georgia Southern Baseball trumped Kennesaw State 4-1 on Tuesday night in Cobb County. Each team tallied four hits in the briskly paced game which gave the Eagles their 25th win of the year. Next up for Georgia Southern is a trip to UL Monroe this weekend to face the Warhawks.
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Rodney Hennon
"We got some good pitching tonight and played a good game defensively behind the pitching staff. We were able to do enough offensively to get the win today. We certainly have some improvements we can make between now and the weekend offensively. We will go to work tomorrow to fix those things before the UL Monroe series. But certainly it was a good way to start the week."
CRITICAL MOMENTS
TOP 2ND – Two hits to start the second along with a walk loaded the bases for Kent Rollins. The senior third baseman grounded out to third, driving in Jordan Wren from third.
TOP 4TH – Hunter Thomas worked a one-out walk and scored off a two-out single to center by Cal Baker. The run gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
BOTTOM 6TH – Chris Erwin cut the Georgia Southern lead to 2-1 with a two-out RBI single up the middle which scored Grant Williams.
TOP 8TH – Ryan Cleveland's RBI triple with no outs in the eighth plated Logan Baldwin to give the Eagles an insurance run.
TOP 9TH – The Eagles added another run in the ninth with some two-out lightning. Evan McDonald walked with two outs and moved on to third with two wild pitches. With Ryan Cleveland up, he caught the KSU pitcher napping, stealing home cleanly to extend the lead to 4-1.
NOTES
- Lawson Humphries went two innings on the designated staff day and earned the victory on the mound. He allowed one hit against the seven batters he faced to improve to 3-1 on the year. Overall, Eagle pitchers gave up just four hits and the one run.
- Landon Hughes notched his second save of the year, getting the final out on just four pitches, an eventual line out to third.
- Evan McDonald's steal of home was the first time an Eagle runner had accomplished that feat since March 2, 2014 when Ryan Cleveland stole home against Ohio.
- The win was the 595th for Head Coach Rodney Hennon at Georgia Southern.
UP NEXT
The Eagles return to conference play for their next six games, starting with a three-game set against UL Monroe. The Eagles and Warhawks battle beginning on Friday night at 7 p.m. (ET)/6 p.m. (CT). Saturday's game is set for 7 p.m. (ET)/6 p.m. (CT) with the finale scheduled for Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (ET)/11:30 a.m. (CT).
BELL TOSSES COMPLETE GAME, LEADS NO. 23 JAGS PAST AUBURN
AUBURN, Ala. – Right-hander Randy Bell tossed his second complete game of the season to lead the No. 23 University of South Alabama baseball team to an 8-5 win over Auburn Tuesday at Plainsman Park.
Bell (4-1) was perfect through four innings before issuing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fifth inning to Niko Buentello. Blake Logan followed with a single through the left side of the infield for the first Tiger hit of the contest. Bell then retired the next eight batters he faced before issuing a two-out walk to Logan in the bottom of the seventh inning. He tied a career high with seven strikeouts, and issued two walks while allowing five runs on four hits to earn his fourth win of the season.
"Randy has done a fantastic job all year long," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "He is a rotation guy in the middle of the week. We feel very fortunate to have such a quality person and pitcher like Randy to go out there and take the mound in midweek games. Randy was outstanding tonight. They (Auburn) put a charge into some balls early, but we played really good defense in the outfield and then he settled in. I give Auburn credit; they made us work for it in the ninth (inning) but we felt good with Randy on the mound and he was outstanding again."
South Alabama (31-11) jumped out to a two-run lead in the top of the first inning. Drew LaBounty drew a leadoff walk to start the game, and Cole Billingsley followed with a bunt single down the first base line. Matt Bolger delivered a two-out, two-run triple to left-center field later in the inning to score LaBounty and Billingsley for a 2-0 Jaguar lead.
USA extended its lead to four runs in the top of the third. Jared Barnes led off the inning with a single to center field. Danny Martinez followed with a fielder's choice to shortstop, in which Barnes was put out at second, and moved to second on an infield single to shortstop by Bolger. Brendan Donovan singled to left field to load the bases with one out before a wild pitch allowed Martinez to score and extend the USA lead to 3-0. A passed ball two pitches later scored Bolger and pushed the USA lead to 4-0.
The Jags added a pair of runs in the top of the eighth to extend their lead to six runs. Carter Perkins reached on a one-out single to right field in the top of the eighth, and LaBounty followed with a double off the left field wall. Billingsley followed with a two-run single back up the middle to score pinch-runner Jalen Haskin and LaBounty for a 6-0 Jaguar lead.
South Alabama added the game's final runs in the top of the ninth. Bolger led off the inning with a walk, and scored one batter later on an RBI triple to right field by Donovan for a 7-0 USA advantage. Donovan scored the game's final run on a sacrifice fly to left field by Adam Wolfe.
Auburn (18-23) scored all five of its runs in the game on a wild pitch by Bell, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Logan and a three-run home run by Damon Haecker in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Aurburn left-hander Andrew Mitchell (4-3) allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 2 1/3 innings in the loss. Bolger went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Billingsley finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run scored and two stolen bases, and Donovan went 2-for-4 with a triple, one RBI and one run scored. Perkins added two hits, including a double. Haecker finished 1-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and one run scored to lead Auburn offensively.
"I am happy with the result, but we had too many strikeouts and we left some men on base with one out," Calvi said. "These are things that we have done a nice job of for the most part, but I can't let that seep into our offense. It's too important for the outcome of the ballgame."
USA will return to action this weekend when it travels to Atlanta for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series with Georgia State.
A-State Wins Weather Shortened Contest
JONESBORO, Ark. (4/26/16) – A four-run sixth inning powered Arkansas State to an 8-3 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff Tuesday evening in a lightning-shortened game at Tomlinson Stadium.
The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning when lightning was detected in the area causing a required 30-minute. After a brief conversation with both coaches and the umpires the game was called giving A-State the victory.
With the victory, the Red Wolves improve to 19-21 on the season and have now won five straight games. The Golden Lions fall to 17-21 on the year.
With the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, A-State scored four runs on four hits to build its advantage. Garrett Rucker put the Red Wolves ahead for good with a single to right field and Tanner Ring followed with a hit down the third base line to put the lead to 5-3. Following a UAPB pitching change and a double-steal by Ring and Rucker, Jeremy Brown singled to left field to drive in both runs.
Arkansas State added a run in the seventh inning when Jake Bakamus scored on a wild pitch with one out in the inning. The lightning delay occurred with two outs in the inning, but per NCAA rules, because the run that scored in the bottom half of the inning did have an effect on the outcome of the game, all statistics and runs are counted up until the game was stopped.
Arkansas State trailed by a run after four innings but strung together back-to-back hits from Ring and Brown to take their first lead of the night in the fifth. Ring drove in the tying with his second triple of the season that plated Garret Rucker. Brown followed with a high chopper over third base that rolled into the outfield for an RBI double.
Brown finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
The Golden Lions wasted little time in answering, however, and tied the game in the next inning on single by Dontre Brown to tie the score at 3-3.
Before surrendering the run in the sixth, A-State starting pitcher Peyton Culbertson had retired 13 in a row since giving up a pair of runs in in the second inning. The freshman tossed a career-high seven innings and struck out three while giving up three runs on five hits.
UPAB scored a pair of runs in the second inning on three balls that did not leave the infield. Donte Brown reached to lead off the inning on a throwing error and advance to third on an infield single by Aderly Perez. Brown scored on passed ball and Perez later scored on an infield single by Jerimiah Figueroa to push the advantage to 2-0.
A-State got a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a sacrifice by Tony Ortiz.
The Red Wolves will take to the road for a three-game Sun Belt Conference at Appalachian State. Check AStateRedWolves.com for the latest information on postponements and weather information.
Five-Run Fifth Powers Southern Miss Past Cajuns
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss exploded for five runs on a pair of home runs in the fifth inning as the 14th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team fell 7-2 to the nationally ranked Golden Eagles on Tuesday night at Pete Taylor Park.
Sophomore right-hander Evan Guillory (4-4) was handed his fourth loss of the season after giving up six runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings.
Reliever Jake Winston (5-0) earned the victory for USM (30-12) tossing 2.1 scoreless innings in relief with a strikeout.
Starter Stevie Powers gave up two runs on three hits with four walks and three strikeouts in four innings.
Southern Miss outhit the Ragin' Cajuns (27-14) 10-5 in the contest led by Dylan Burdeaux who went 3-for-5 and scored two runs. Tim Lynch had a game-high three RBI with a home run.
Kyle Clement lead the Ragin' Cajuns at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double and two walks.
Brad Antchak put the Cajuns in front 2-0 in the top of the second sending a double into right center to plate two runs. Dylon Poncho and Nick Thurman walked with one out and then moved up 90 feet on a passed ball by catcher Chuckie Robinson.
Southern Miss cut into the Louisiana lead in the bottom of the third as Hunter Slater singled home a run with two outs in the inning to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the fifth, Lynch gave the Golden Eagles a 4-2 edge with a three-run blast to right field, his seventh home run of the year. Later in the inning, Chase Scott added to the lead with a two-run homer to left field to make the score 6-2 Eagles.
USM tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single up the middle by Storme Cooper to make the final 7-2.
Louisiana returns to action tomorrow night at 6 p.m. as Louisiana Tech comes to The Tigue for a non-conference matchup. Fans can watch the game live on myAcadianaTV and ESPN3.com with Mike Mitchell and Sean Trcalek calling the action. The game will also be broadcast live on ESPN 1420-AM with Jay Walker providing play-by-play.
Following the game with the Bulldogs, the Cajuns will head to Arlington, Texas for a three-game series against UT Arlington starting Friday at 6:30 p.m.
Bobcats Strike Out 10 in Loss
AUSTIN – Texas State pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts against Texas with Jeremy Hallonquist and Chase Hodson leading the effort with four apiece. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough as the Longhorns knocked eight hits and scored a combined four runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to beat out Texas State, 6-2, dropping the Bobcats to 22-20 on the season.
The Longhorns scored two runs in the opening inning, but the Bobcats struck back in the top of the third with a two-RBI hit from Ryan Newman to tie it up. Texas rebounded with two runs in the bottom of the third, both coming with two outs to regain the lead and added a run in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Newman finished with two hits as did senior Tanner Hill, knocking two doubles.
The Bobcats will host Troy in a three-game set this weekend starting at 6 p.m. Friday night at Bobcat Ballpark.
NOTES
Texas scored two runs in the first inning. Now, the Bobcats are 2-5 when the opponent scores in the first inning, 5-13 when opponents score first and 0-5 when trailing after one inning.
His two RBIs in the third inning are the first RBIs for Ryan Newman since hitting one in April 16 against Little Rock. It is his first multi-RBI game since going 4-for-4 with two homers against UTSA on April 5. It's his fourth multi-RBI game of the season.
With the team's error in the fourth inning, the Bobcats are now 12-6 on the season with one error.
In the sixth inning, Newman knocked his second hit of the night to make it his first multi-hit game since April 6 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He has nine multi-hit games this season.
The hit for Luke Sherley in the seventh inning is his third hit in as many games.
With two doubles on the night, Tanner Hill notched his 12th multi-hit game of the season. It was his second game with multiple extra-base hits this year.
Texas State notched 10 strikeouts Tuesday night. It is the 10th time the Bobcats have made double-digit strikeouts this season.
With four strikeouts in two innings of work, Chase Hodson continues to be the only Bobcat pitcher with more strikeouts than innings pitched. Tuesday night marked the fifth time this season Hodson has struck out four or more batters with the last time being at Georgia Southern on April 2.
Mavs fall at No. 2 Texas A&M
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - UT Arlington got a home run from Brady Cox and three hits from Christian Hollie, but could not overcome a five-run fifth inning in falling at No. 2 Texas A&M, 7-3, on Tuesday at Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park.
UTA (22-20) trailed just 2-1 after four innings, but committed a pair of errors to score a run and extend the inning for the Aggies (33-8). That set up pinch hitter Jonathan Moroney who broke the game open with a two-out grand slam in the fifth that upped the lead to 7-1.
"We did some things well, but they are ranked where they are for a reason," coach Darin Thomas said after the game. "The fifth inning was a big one for them, but we responded and seemed to have guys on base all night. But it seemed like every time that we got guys on, they brought in another quality arm out of the pen, and that is tough."
The six-run lead was more than enough for the Aggie pitching staff, who used four arms on the night. Turner Larkins picked up his second win of the season for Texas A&M, pitching 3.1 innings of one-run relief with four strikeouts.
Matt Michalski was saddled with the loss, falling to 1-3 for the season, despite a solid outing that saw him allow just two earned runs with a season-high five strikeouts in just 4.1 innings.
UTA finished with six hits on the night, three coming from Hollie and two from Cox. Jerame Littell finished the night 1-for-4 with an RBI, driving home Noah Vaughan for the first Maverick run of the night in the top of the second inning.
Vaughan had reached with two outs after being hit by a pitch and moved to third on the first of Hollie's three singles on the night before coming home on Littell's RBI base hit.
The Aggies got the run back in the bottom of the third when Austin Homan scored on an RBI single from Nick Banks. That put runners on the corners and set the Aggies up to potentially take the lead, but Michalski amped it up a notch against the middle of the Texas A&M order and responded with consecutive strikeouts of Boomer White and Hunter Melton to keep things tied at 1-1.
An inning later Texas A&M went up 2-1 on a two-out bloop single to left field that scored Joel Davis, who was in motion on the play, all the way from first base. But it was the top of the fifth that opened the game up for the Aggies as they took advantage of a pair of UTA errors to score five runs - one earned - and go up 7-1.
The big blow came from Moroney, who pinch hit with two outs and the bases loaded and deposited a 3-1 pitch over the left-field wall for a grand slam.
UTA answered in the top of the sixth when Cox greeted new Aggie reliever Ryan Hendrix with a two-run homer, his second bomb of the season, out to left-center field to cut the lead to 7-3. The Mavs put together a threat an inning later, loading the bases with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate; however, A&M turned to reliever Casey Sherrod who entered and got a strikeout of RJ Williams to end the inning in what would be the final UTA threat of the night.
The week does not get any easier for the Mavs as they return home for a crucial three-game series against No. 18 Louisiana this weekend. First pitch of the series vs the Ragin' Cajuns is set for 6:30 pm on Friday.