March 24, 2010

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

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Around the Bases
Elon completes two-game sweep of No. 8 Clemson

Georgia Tech mauls Mercer, Auburn edges Alabama in Capital City Classic

In Clemson, S.C., Ryan Adams (right) scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th and earned the save in the bottom of the frame as Elon completed a two-game sweep of No. 8 Clemson with a 4-3 win Wednesday in front of 3,851 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Adams had a two-out double in the 10th for the Phoenix (12-9) and scored on Seth Canipe’s base hit. Adams then took the mound and retired the Tigers (17-4) in order in the bottom of the 10th for his first save. Clemson scored a pair in the first before Elon answered with two in the second and one in the third. The Tigers tied it at three with a run in the fourth. Justin Hilt had two hits and two RBI for the Phoenix. Mike Freeman had a double and a RBI for Clemson.

No. 3 Georgia Tech 19, Mercer 4

In Atlanta, Matt Skole went 3 for 5 with three runs as Georgia Tech dumped Mercer at Russ Chandler Stadium. The Yellow Jackets (18-2) scored in double figures for the fourth straight game. The Bears (14-9) got a run in the top of the first before Tech erupted for seven in the second. The Jackets added six in the fourth and four in the fifth to take control. Jeff Rowland (1 for 4, 3 R) and Connor Winn (1 for 2) both homered for Tech. Thomas Nichols (2 for 4) knocked in three for the Jackets. Thomas Carroll drove in a pair for Mercer.

Auburn 8, No. 17 Alabama 6

In Montgomery, Ala., Casey McElroy had two hits and three RBI as Auburn edged Alabama in the second annual Capital City Classic at Riverwalk Stadium. Michael Hurst (2-0) pitched 3.1 innings of relief with one hit, one run, three walks and two strikeouts to earn the victory. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Austin Hubbard fanned five over the final two innings for his third save. Creede Simpson had three hits and two RBI for the Tigers (16-5), while Tony Caldwell added two hits and two RBI for Auburn. Caldwell homered in the bottom of the second to start the scoring. McElroy’s three-run blast capped a four-run third as the Tigers took the lead for good at 5-2. Taylor Dugas (3 for 3, 1 R, 2 RBI) and Josh Rutledge (1 for 5, 3 RBI) led the offense for the Crimson Tide (16-3).

No. 4 LSU 4, Louisiana-Lafayette 3

In Baton Rouge, La., Micah Gibbs had two hits and drove in two as LSU edged UL-Lafayette at Alex Box Stadium. Tyler Hanover had two doubles and Austin Nola added two hits for the Tigers (17-3). Blake Dean had a sacrifice fly and Gibbs added a run-scoring single as LSU took a 2-0 lead in the first. Jordan Poirrier smacked a two-run homer in the third as the Ragin’ Cajuns (11-10) tied it at two. Gibbs scored in the sixth and had an RBI double in the seventh as LSU went up 4-2. Trask Switzenburg scored in the top of the ninth to pull ULL within one. Matty Ott got a strikeout to end the game and earned his eighth save.

No. 5 Florida 13, FGCU 8

In Gainesville, Fla., Florida scored 13 unanswered to rally past FGCU at McKethan Stadium. Stephen Wickens (3 for 5) and Tim Roberson (2 for 5) both belted two-run homers in an eight-run second for the Eagles (12-7). The Gators (17-3) got one in the second and three in the third to cut the lead in half. In the fourth, Josh Adams (2 for 5, 3 RBI) had a two-run dinger and Matt den Dekker (2 for 3, 4 RBI) smacked a three-run bomb to put Florida on top 9-8. The Gators added two in the fifth and the sixth to complete the scoring. Clint Franklin (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief with one hit, one walk and one strikeout to earn the victory.

No. 6 Florida State 14, Stetson 7

In Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State scored 13 in its final four at-bats to soar past Stetson on Mike Martin Field inside Dick Howser Stadium. The Seminoles (16-4) scored five in the fifth to take the lead for good and added three in the sixth, two in the seventh and three in the eighth. Sean Gilmartin (1 for 2) had a bases-clearing triple to cap the fifth-inning rally and give FSU a 6-4 advantage. Parker Brunelle (4 for 5, 2 R) added a three-run double in the eighth to complete the scoring. Spencer Theisen had two hits and two RBI for the Hatters (9-13).

No. 13 Oregon State 11, Southern Utah 1

In Corvallis, Ore., Ryan Gorton tossed five shutout innings as Oregon State stopped Southern Utah at Goss Stadium. Gorton (2-0) allowed six hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Adalberto Santos homered in the first to start the scoring for the Beavers (15-3). Rob Folsom’s two-run double keyed a five-run sixth as OSU built a 10-1 lead. Parker Berberet had two hits and two RBI for the Beavers. Marcus Romero had two hits and one run for the Thunderbirds (4-14).

No. 16 Arkansas 7, McNeese State 6

In Lake Charles, La., Monk Kreder had a three-run double to lead Arkansas past McNeese State. Andy Wilkins had a two-run single in the first for the Razorbacks (15-5). Matt Reynolds belted a two-run homer in the second to give Arkansas a 4-0 lead. Jordan Venable had a RBI single in the bottom of the frame for the Cowboys (8-11). Seth Granger’s two-run triple capped a three-run third as McNeese State tied it at 4-4. Kreder’s three-run double came in the fourth, putting the Hogs ahead 7-4. Venable doubled and scored in the bottom of the stanza as the Cowboys pulled to within two. Venable was hit by a pitch with the bases full in the seventh to make it 7-6. D.J. Baxendale recorded the final four outs for his fifth save.

No. 18 Ole Miss 14, Saint Louis 5

In Oxford, Miss., Kevin Mort and Mike Snyder both drove in three to lead Ole Miss past Saint Louis at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field. Both went 3 for 5 with three RBI for the Rebels (17-5). Trent Rothlin (3-1) pitched three innings of scoreless relief with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the win. Mort’s three-run homer capped a seven-run third as Ole Miss built a 7-1 lead. Danny Brock (2 for 4) had a two-run single and Jon Myers (3 for 4) added a two-run homer in a four-run fourth as the Billikens (11-11) made it 7-5. The Rebels added three in the fifth and four in the seventh to put the game away. Zach Miller had three hits, two runs and two RBI for Ole Miss.

Furman 10, Georgia 9

In Athens, Ga., Furman built a 10-1 lead by the seventh-inning stretch and had to hold on to edge Georgia at Foley Field. It was the first win by Furman over Georgia since 1979 and the first victory in Athens since 1925. The Paladins (8-13) scored three in the third, single runs in the fifth and sixth, and five in the seventh to lead 10-1. The Bulldogs (8-13) put up two in the seventh and six in the bottom of the ninth, but came up one short. Will Muzika (3 for 5) homered and drove in four for Furman. Dylan Cole (2 for 2, 2 BB) also went deep for the Paladins. J.B. Jenkins had three doubles and knocked in two for Furman. Daniel Stallsmith (1-0) made his first collegiate start for the Paladins and allowed six hits and one run with five strikeouts. Zach Cone (4 for 4) had two solo homers for Georgia. Colby May (1 for 4, 2 RBI) and Christian Glisson (1 for 3, 2 RBI) also went deep for the Bulldogs.

St. John’s 22, Columbia 21

In Queens, N.Y., Joe Panik’s pinch-hit RBI single capped a four-run ninth as St. John’s rallied past Columbia at Kaiser Stadium. The Lions (3-11) led 19-13 after a 10-run top of the eighth before the Red Storm (12-6) scored five in the eighth and four in the ninth for the victory. Jimmy Parque (3 for 7, 1 HR, 4 R), Greg Hopkins (3 for 5, 3 R), Matt Wessinger (3 for 5, 3 R) and Paul Karmas (2 for 2, 2 R) all drove in three for St. John’s. Alexander Aurrichio (2 for 6, 1 HR, 4 R), Billy Rumpke (3 for 6, 2 3B, 3 R) and Nick Crucet (1 for 4, 2 R) each knocked in three for Columbia.

North Carolina 4, UNC Greensboro 3

In Greensboro, N.C., Jesse Wierzbicki’s home run keyed a three-run eighth as North Carolina edged UNC Greensboro in front of 1,333 fans at UNCG Baseball Stadium. Zach Leach had a run-scoring single to cap a three-run first for the Spartans (11-9). Brian Goodwin had a RBI triple in the fifth to pull the Tar Heels (16-6) to within two. Wierzbicki’s dinger in the eighth made it 3-2. Seth Baldwin walked and scored on a wild pitch to knot the score at three. Ryan Graepel singled and scored on an error as UNC took the lead. Dillon Hazlett had three hits for the Tar Heels. Greg Holt pitched the final 1.2 innings, fanning two in the ninth, to earn his second save.

ETSU 22, Radford 10

In Johnson City, Tenn., Bo Reeder went 4 for 5 with three homers and seven RBI as ETSU outscored Radford at Cardinal Park. Reeder hit a homer and a two-run single in an eight-run second for the Buccaneers (14-4). Reeder went deep twice in a nine-run fifth as ETSU took a 20-10 lead. Paul Hoilman went deep in the seventh for the Bucs, his 10th. Reggie Keen had two hits and three RBI for the Highlanders (10-8).

Southeastern Louisiana 6, South Alabama 5

In Hammond, La., Chris Ernest’s pinch-hit single plated Cody Gougler with the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth as Southeastern Louisiana edged South Alabama at Alumni Field. Gougler (2 for 4) had a leadoff double in the ninth. After an intentional walk, Gougler was sacrificed to third. Following another walk, Ernest came off the bench and singled to center to bring home Gougler. Jeff Harkensee (2 for 4) had hit a two-run homer in the sixth for the Lions (20-2) that tied the game at six. Brad Hook (3 for 3, 2 RBI) homered for the Jaguars (15-9). Taylor White also went 3 for 3 with a run for USA.

Kent State 6, Youngstown State 5

In Kent, Ohio, Kent State rallied for three in the bottom of the ninth to slip past Youngstown State. Evan Campbell (3 for 5, 3 RBI) had a two-run double to tie it at five. Jared Humphreys (2 for 6, 2 RBI) had the game-winning single with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. Jacke Healey had two home runs for the Penguins (8-8). He has nine dingers in 15 games for YSU. Healey had a two-run blast in the third and a solo shot in the fifth as the visitors built a 5-0 lead. The Golden Flashes (9-12) tallied single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh to pull within two.

(photo courtesy of Elon Media Relations Office)