MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Georgia Southern used four hits in the very first inning to take an early lead, and the Eagles were just getting their bats warmed up.
Christian Avant launched a three-run homer in the fifth, his third hit of the game, and teammate Parker Biederer added a two-run shot one inning later as second-seeded Georgia Southern rolled to a 7-1 win over App State Friday in the second quarterfinal of the Guardian Credit Union Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University.
The Eagles (39-17) had five extra-base hits in a 12-hit attack on the way to advancing to Saturday’s 3 p.m. opening semifinal against Troy.
“It’s always good anytime,” said Eagle coach Rodney Hennon of the early lead, “but in a tournament setting, the first game especially after sitting around as much as everybody has these last few days. To jump out and get some early momentum was big.”
That offense was keyed by Avant, who had an RBI double and scored himself in the first before launching his fifth-inning blast after Jesse Sherrill and Jason Swan had one-out singles.
“I’m on deck and I’m just thinking Swan, just get up and get a hit here and get me up to the plate,” Avant said. “I thought we were hitting balls hard early, it’s frustrating when they don’t fall. The big swing there, that kind of lets everybody calm down and releases the frustration and gets us on the board and kind of loosens the team up.”
App State, which beat Little Rock 10-3 in a Tuesday opening round game, cut the early margin to 2-1 in the top of the second on Hayden Cross’ leadoff single and RJ Johnson’s RBI ground ball. However, the Mountaineers (20-33) left two on base that inning and proceeded to leave 10 runners stranded in a five-inning stretch.
“We had some situations where we’re a hit away from tying it or maybe pushing the lead a little bit,” said App State coach Kermit Smith. “We were just unable to capitalize on some base runners, but hats off to them, they made us not capitalize. The guys they put out on the mound were a really good matchup against our lineup.”
Starting pitcher Ty Fisher and relievers Jay Thompson (7-3) and Anthony DiMola combined to limit the Mountaineers to six singles while fanning four. Fisher gave up five hits but stranded five runners, and Thompson came in the fifth after Luke Drumheller walked and Andrew Greckel was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.
Thompson coaxed a fly ball from Cross and then got two more quick outs. DiMola retired all six Mountaineer batters he faced over the final two innings.
“I didn’t think stuff wise it was his best stuff today,” Hennon said of Fisher, “but he’s got a knack for just battling and keeping you in a ball game and giving you a chance to win. He wasn’t as sharp as he normally is, but he kind of gutted it out. He’s not a strikeout guy, but he gets a lot of soft contact and that’s when he’s most effective.”
“They had Cross that he (Thompson) came in to face, I’ve watched him for a few years and he always gives them good, tough at-bats. That was a big out in the ball game in that situation.”
Swan and Avant had back-to-back doubles off App State starter Trey Tujetsch (3-5) and Noah Ledford followed with an infield hit that, along with an obstruction call that provided the second run. In the sixth, the Eagles added insurance runs when Sam Blancato had a one-out single and Biederer followed with his third homer of the year.
“We talk about Christian’s big home run,” Hennon said, “but Parker Biederer’s home run to extend that lead late, I thought that was huge.”