CCU Baseball Cruises to 17-2 Win Over Va Tech in Season Opener
CONWAY - Preseason All-American Kevin Woodall Jr., had a career-high six RBI and Jason Bilous tied a career high with nine strikeouts to lead Coastal Carolina to a 17-2, season-opening victory over Virginia Tech Friday night at Spring Brooks Stadium The game, part of the 19th annual Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach, had a crowd of 3,154, which is the third-largest, on-campus, regular-season crowd in school history.

Coastal Carolina will host the 18th-ranked Oklahoma Saturday. First pitch is set for 3 pm. However, the Sooners will face #20 South Alabama early Saturday at Springs Brooks Stadium with first pitch set for 11 am.

Coastal's 17-2 victory matched the lopsided 17-2 win over Appalachian State to start 2016 and is the second-largest, opening-day win in school history behind a 19-3 decision to start the 1999 season. Overall, Coastal is 30-13 in season openers while improving to 34-9 in home openers, including a 4-0 mark in Springs Brooks Stadium. Head coach Gary Gilmore, in his 23rd season, is 19-4 in season openers and 21-2 in home openers.

Bilous (1-0) struck out the side in the first and third innings and recorded two K's in the second and fifth innings. He scattered four hits and three walks to allow one run over his five complete. Overall, Coastal's four pitchers recorded 13 strikeouts, including two by Scott Kobos in the ninth -- his lone inning,

Offensively, Coastal had 15 hits, but took advantage of 11 walks by Hokie pitchers, who also hit three CCU batters.

Woodall was 3-for-4 with a two-run home run in the first and a two-run single in the seventh. Kieton Rivers and Seth Lancaster added home runs, while Cory Wood, Rivers and Parker Chavers each had two hits. CCU's 1-2-3 hitters - Wood, Keaton Weisz and Lancaster -- each scored three runs.

In the top of the first, Bilous struck out the side despite allowing a leadoff walk and two-out double. While the Hokies could not take advantage, Coastal would score in the home half. Weisz hit a leadoff double -- his first career hit -- and Woodall followed with a towering two-run home run to left field for a an early 2-0 lead.

The teams traded zeroes in the second and third innings. However in the bottom of the fourth, Coastal scored five runs thanks to a home run and three-straight, bases-loaded walks. Rivers started the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run. Two batters later, Cameron Pearcey was hit by a pitch. He stole second and took third on a fly out before scoring on a two-out, RBI single Wood. Three straight walks, including one to Woodall, forced in another run in the frame to give Coastal a 5-0 lead. Tech went to its bullpen but the result was a same, with back-to-back, bases-loaded walks.

The Hokies got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Darion Jacoby was hit by a pitch to start the inning and scored after consecutive singles by Tom Stoffel and Jack Owens.

Coastal got that run back and one more in the bottom of the fifth to push its lead to 9-1. Pearcey doubled, moved to third on a fly out and scored on a throwing error. After walks to Wood and Lancaster, Woodall smacked an RBI single to bring home Wood.

Virginia Tech used a similar formula to score another run in the seventh to make the score 9-2. Jacoby was hit by a pitch but was retired on Stoffel fielder's choice. Stoffel moved to third on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sam Fragale.

Once again, Coastal answered and then some in the home half. Chavers hit a leadoff double and scored on a Wood single to left. Weisz and Lancaster walked to load the bases to set the stage for a two-run, RBI single by Woodall. A single by pinch hitter Lee Sponseller loaded the bases and Kyle Skeels was hit by a pitch for force in a run for a 15-2 cushion.

Lancaster started the eighth with a home run and the Chants took advantage of an error to score its 17th run of the game.

Long Ball Powers Troy Past UT Martin in Opener
TROY, Alabama – Troy drove in seven runs on three multi-run home runs on its way to a 14-2 rout of UT Martin on Opening Night Friday at Riddle-Pace Field.

Joey Denison led Troy's (1-0) very efficient offensive attack with a 3-for-4 night at the plate, driving in four runs on a double and a homer. It was the senior's 12th career multi-RBI game and his four RBIs tied a career high.

Denison was joined by Rigsby Mosley and Matt Sanders in the home run club - Mosley blasted a three-run shot in the fifth and Sanders went deep for two in the eighth.

Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year Andrew Crane (1-0) picked up right where he left off last season, striking out seven over five scoreless innings on the mound. Crane extended his regular season consecutive scoreless innings streak to 46.2.

Eight of Troy's nine starters hit safely, while all nine scored at least one run in the matchup. JUCO transfer Cole Prestegard turned in a two-hit night in his first collegiate start – he drove in two and scored once.

After Crane stepped off the mound, the Trojans turned to a couple of unfamiliar faces to carry them the rest of the way home. Zack Moore, Will Carnley and Jackson Cofer allowed only two combined hits in the final four innings and struck out four batters over that period.

UT Martin (0-1) struggled to piece together any offense, as its one through five-hole batters were held hitless. Dalton Westfall (0-1) suffered the loss for the Skyhawks after allowed five runs on four hits in a 1.2-inning start.

Turning Point
With two on and two outs in the fifth inning, redshirt freshman Rigsby Mosley stepped to the plate and fell behind 0-2 in the count. A few pitches later, Mosley sent a no-doubter deep into the construction zone behind the Riddle-Pace Monster for a three-run homer to effectively blow the game open for the Trojans.

Quotable – Troy head coach Mark Smartt
"It was great to see the offense come through. We've struggled to score a lot here over the past few years. Not saying we'll score 14 every night, but it's important that our guys got out to a great start tonight."

Starter Andrew Crane
"I felt good and fresh before the game started. I went out there and trusted myself and these guys made great plays behind me. It's nice to have a lot of run support and as a pitcher it's easy to just go out there and throw your game."

Senior Joey Denison
"It felt so good to be able to get back on the field and help my team get a win. It's an unexplainable feeling. It's the first game, so we just have to try and keep the momentum going and feed off each other."

Sound "Smartt" With Your Friends
• Troy improved to 8-1 in its last nine season openers; with the lone loss coming last season to Xavier.

Noteworthy
• Andrew Crane worked five scoreless innings to extend his regular season consecutive scoreless inning streak to 46.2 innings.

• Joey Denison recorded his 27th career multi-hit game with a 3-for-4 night at the plate; he also drove in four runs for his 12th career multi-RBI game. Denison's 3-hit night was the eighth of his career, while his four RBIs tied a career best.

• Matt Sanders reached with two walks to extend his reached-base streak to nine games, dating back to last season. With his 2-run home run in the eighth inning, Sanders extended his hitting streak to nine games – tying a career-high.

• Troy is now 13-1 all-time under Mark Smartt when scoring 10 or more runs.

• Troy hit three home runs against UT Martin … the Trojans hit three home runs in a game just once all of last season (and no games with more than three home runs). It took Troy until May 13 of last season to hit three homers in a game.

• All nine Troy starters scored a run in the game for the first time since Feb. 16, 2013, against Florida A&M.

On Deck
Troy will turn around and play a doubleheader against UT Martin Saturday at Riddle-Pace Field, starting at 1 p.m. The Trojans will send CJ Carter and Daren Osby to the mound for starts in the twin bill.

THREE RBI FOR FRESHMAN GLASS IN 3-1 WIN FOR PANTHERS
ATLANTA -- Freshman Ryan Glass homered in his first at-bat and drove in all three runs to back a strong start from Hunter Gaddis as Georgia State opened the 2018 season with a 3-1 victory over Bradley in the Atlanta Challenge at the GSU Baseball Complex.

The Panthers, who won on Opening Day for the sixth straight year, host UConn Saturday at 2 p.m. in Game 2 of the Atlanta Challenge.

Glass, the 6-4, 220-pound freshman designated hitter from Atlanta's Woodward Academy, came to the plate in the first inning with two outs and Nick Gatewood at first base. On the 1-0 count, he crushed a fastball from Bradley starter Cole Cook well over the left field fence to give GSU the early lead.

"The adrenaline was flowing as I stepped into the box. As soon as I hit it, I was thinking, OK I got it," Glass said.

The score remained that way as Gaddis, the sophomore right-hander, tossed six scoreless innings, scattering seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gatewood singled with two outs and moved to second on a wild pitch. Then Glass laced Cook's two-strike pitch into right field for an opposite-field single to bring home the key insurance run.

"When I see other people doing the job, it pushes me forward to do mine," Glass said. "I saw Nick out there at second base and I knew I couldn't leave him out there, so I had to fight and fight. Once he gave me a pitch I could handle, I had to poke it out into right field and get him in.

"The atmosphere here is so much different from high school and travel ball," Glass continued. "Everyone is grown men out here. Not to say I'm a small person, but I just feel like I'm surrounded by a lot of ballplayers. I'm happy for the guidance from our coaches and our veteran players. This was only Game 1, and I'm just a freshman so there's a lot of things I haven't seen. I'm going to look to all these guys for guidance and make sure I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do to help the team as much as I can."

Senior right-hander Tanner Thomson blanked the Braves in the seventh and eighth innings and started the ninth but allowed a leadoff single by Andy Shadid and a run-scoring double by Dan Bolt that pulled Bradley within 3-1. After a walk, closer Jansen Acton came on for the Panthers.

Acton recorded the first out as pinch hitter Nick McMurray fouled a bunt attempt for strike three, but then he hit Luke Shadid to load the bases. That's when Acton induced a game-ending, double-play ground ball, second baseman Mike Huggins to shortstop Justin Jones to first baseman Jack Thompson for the victory.

"It was really great to see our grit and our senior leadership tonight," head coach Greg Frady said. "Mike Huggins to Justin Jones to Jack Thompson to end the game, three seniors right there, plus Jansen Acton on the mound. I'm just proud of the team, proud of how we played and happy to be 1-0."

For Jones, the Panthers' senior shortstop, that was his third inning-ending double play of the night. After Bradley loaded the bases in the fourth inning against Gaddis, Jones turned the 4-6-3 twin killing. Then in the 6th, Bradley put runners at second and third with one out, but Jones caught a soft liner and threw to third base to double the runner and end the threat.

Welsh, MacDonald Lead A-State to Season-Opening Shutout
JONESBORO, Ark. (2/16/18) – The Arkansas State baseball team received 7.2 innings from starter Bradey Welsh and Kyle MacDonald’s solo home run was all the offense the Red Wolves needed in a 1-0 victory over Illinois State Friday night at Tomlinson Stadium to begin the 2018 campaign.

Welsh tied his career high with 7.2 shutout innings and only allowed one hit with a career-high tying eight strikeouts against one walk to earn the win. Tanner Kirby registered a hold when he got the final out of the eighth inning and the first out of the ninth. Jesse Kutzke came in to get the final two outs of the game after a Payton Lannon walk to earn his first career save.

The Red Wolves (1-0) only had two hits on the night, but both came from MacDonald with his fourth-inning long ball providing the team’s only run off of Illinois State (0-1) starter Brady Huffman. Huffman tossed five innings and struck out nine while Trevor Cross and Jeff Lindgren combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Redbirds.

Nick Zouras posted the visitor’s only hit in the top of the fifth inning and he advanced to second on an error with one out. However, Welsh pitched out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly ball to keep the Redbirds off the scoreboard.

The shutout was the second straight season opener the Red Wolves have won kept their opponent off the scoreboard after last season’s 6-0 win versus NYIT. Head coach Tommy Raffo moved to 7-3 in season openers with the win.

Arkansas State returns to action Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. after the original start time of 2 p.m. was moved back to allow the field more time to dry after expected rainfall tomorrow. Coulton Lee is on the bump for the home team, while Illinois State counters with Brent Headrick.

NO. 17 JAGS OVERCOME EARLY DEFICIT TO DOWN KSU IN SEASON OPENER
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The 17th-ranked University of South Alabama baseball team recorded 18 hits in its 12-5 win over Kansas State Friday at Pelicans Ballpark.

USA (1-0) used eight unanswered runs through the game's final four frames for a come-from-behind win in its season opener with KSU (0-1).

South Alabama will return to action with a pair of games on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) against Oklahoma at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. The Jags will then square off with Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday afternoon at Pelican Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

GAME FACTS
- USA scored the game's first run in the top of the second on a two-out RBI single off the left field wall by freshman Andrew Bates that scored Wells Davis, who led off the inning with a single through the right side of the infield.
- KSU answered in the bottom of the second inning on a one-out, two-run home run to left field by TK McWhertor to take a 2-1 lead.
- The Jags loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third on a leadoff single to right field by Paul Russo, and consecutive walks by Travis Swaggerty and Brendan Donovan. Davis followed with a walk to plate Russo and tie the score at 2-2. Hunter Stokes delivered a one-out RBI single to left field later in the inning to score Swaggerty for a 3-2 Jaguar advantage. Bates followed with an RBI single to center field to plate Donovan and double the USA lead at 4-2.
- KSU loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third on three straight walks issued by Jaguar left-hander Andy Arguelles. McWhertor then followed with a two-out, two-run single back up the middle of the infield to tie the game at 4-4. Jake Biller then reached on a walk by Jaguar right-hander Zach Greene to load the bases. Will Brennan then drew a walk to force home the third Wildcat run of the frame for a 5-4 lead.
- Michael Sandle, who made his Jaguar debut, doubled to center field to lead off the top of the sixth inning and advanced to third on a single through the left side of the infield by Dylan Hardy to put runners at the corners with no outs. Hardy stole second before Paul Russo delivered a two-run single to center field for a 6-5 USA lead. Travis Swaggerty reached on a single to right field, and scored one batter later on an RBI double off the left field wall by Donovan to push the lead to 7-5. Davis then reached on a ground-rule double to left-center field that scored Donovan and extended the Jag lead to 8-5.
- The Jags increased their lead to 9-5 in the top of the seventh on an RBI single to center field by Sandle that scored Bates, who singled to lead off the inning. Hardy delivered a one-out solo home run to left field later in the inning to double the USA lead at 10-5. USA added two additional runs in the inning on a KSU fielding error and an RBI single by Davis to take a 12-5 lead.

NOTES
- Davis extended his hitting streak to three games dating back to last season.
- Greene, Chase Lambert and JoJo Booker each made their Jaguar debut on the mound.
- Russo hit safely in his second straight game dating back to last season.
- The Jags plated three runs in the top of the third, and four runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.
- After KSU took a 5-4 lead with three runs in the bottom of the third, the Jags scored eight unanswered runs.
- Four Jags recorded three hits in the game, led by Davis who went 3-for-4 with a double, three RBIs and one run scored. Hardy finished 3-for-6 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and one stolen base. Russo finished 3-for-6 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and Bates went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one stolen base.
- Greene tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings, and allowed four hits with five strikeouts against three walks to earn the win. KSU right-hander Luke Hauswirth allowed two runs on two hits and issued one walk in one inning pitched in the loss.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the offense:
"Our guys swung the bat really well, but their (Kansas State) starter (Kasey Ford) was a good pitcher. As a freshman, he had right at a 4.00 ERA in 40-plus innings in a good conference. We knew he had a good fastball; he was running it up to 93 or 94 (mph) and it was really heavy. He got us out up (in the zone) early, and I thought we gave away some at-bats early in the game. But our guys settled in and got into their at-bats a little more the second time through. We had chances to score some more runs; we left some men out there early, but when you walk some and get some hits then you are going to leave some guys on base. I was really proud of the way our guys responded from the fourth inning on, especially out of the bullpen.

"Moving forward, I would expect Andy Arguelles to do nothing but get better. He was a little bit shaky, but Zach Greene came in and wasn't great from the start but he settled in nicely and really settled the game down. We got their starter out of there, and our guys just kept adding on and we kept extending from there. A lot of guys had some really good at-bats. We took some walks and some close pitches. We were a little sloppy, too, at times. We chased some balls up; we were a little sloppy during the game and that's something we have to clean up moving forward. But I give their pitcher credit, he was throwing hard and it was around dusk; sometimes it was hard to pick up. We played really good defense, especially in the outfield. Dylan Hardy got five balls hit to him out there, and made a great play on a line drive moving toward the foul line. Michael Sandle and Andrew Bates, the two young guys getting in there – I'm really proud of their efforts. This is a team full of older guys; if it's a lead-by-example thing then the young guys have some pretty good examples to follow in the older guys. But it's just one game, and it's over at midnight. We have a long day tomorrow, but we'll do everything we can to win those two games tomorrow and we'll go from there."

- On Oklahoma:
"Oklahoma's lineup is very solid. They're a Big 12 team, and probably an upper-end Big 12 team this year. We'll have our hands full, but so will they. If we go out there and throw strikes, attack the strike zone and do what we need to do on the mound, I don't see us out of many ballgames; I see us in every single baseball game, and tomorrow should be no different."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action with a pair of games on Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) against Oklahoma at Springs Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. The Jags will then square off with Virginia Tech at 3:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday afternoon at Pelican Park in Myrtle Beach, S.C.