March 8, 2011

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

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Around the Bases
Georgia Southern blanks No. 1 Florida in Gainesville

South Carolina nips Clemson, Virginia nips Marshall, Texas tops UTSA in 11

In Gainesville, Fla., Ben Morgan (right) went 3 for 4 with two runs as Georgia Southern blanked top-ranked Florida 7-0 Tuesday evening in front of 2,733 fans at McKethan Stadium. It was the first victory for the Eagles (8-5) over a No. 1 team. GSU beat second-ranked Georgia Tech in 1993. The Eagles scored two in the fifth, three in the seventh and two in the ninth. Shawn Payne (2 for 5, 1 R) and Steve Cochrane (1 for 5, 1 R) both drove in two for GSU. Chris Beck (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K) started for the Eagles. Josh Adams (3-1, 3 IP, 2 H, 2 K) earned the win in relief and Matt Murray worked four hitless innings with five strikeouts to record his second save. Nolan Fontana, Tyler Thompson and Daniel Pigott each had one hit for the Gators (10-2).

No. 4 South Carolina 5, No. 6 Clemson 4

In Greenville, S.C., South Carolina scored four in the seventh and one in the eighth to win the rubber game of its three-game series with Clemson in front of 7,125 fans at Fluor Field. Jake Williams had a pinch-hit three-run homer in the seventh to give the Gamecocks (9-1) the lead for good. Jackie Bradley, Jr., Adrian Morales and Peter Mooney each had two hits and a run for South Carolina. The Tigers (7-3) tallied one in the fourth and three in the ninth. Richie Shaffer homered and scored twice for Clemson. John Hinson and Will Lamb both had two hits and one RBI for the Tigers. Forrest Koumas (1-0, 2.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K) earned the win in relief, while Matt Price (1 IP, 1 H, 1 K) got the final three outs for his fourth save. Williams received the Tom Price Award as the South Carolina MVP of the series. Spencer Kieboom won the Bob Bradley Award as the Clemson MVP.

No. 7 Virginia 1, Marshall 0

In Charlottesville, Va., Will Roberts and three relievers combined on the shutout as Virginia nipped Marshall in front of 2,012 fans at Davenport Field. Roberts (2-0) allowed four hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. Justin Thompson (1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 K) and Scott Silverstein (1 H) kept the Thundering Herd (5-6) off the board before Branden Kline (1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K) registered his fifth save. The Cavaliers (13-1) got their run in the bottom of the fourth. Kenny Swab had a leadoff single and moved to third when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. John Barr’s sacrifice fly plated Swab with the game’s lone run. Reed Gragnani and John Hicks both had two hits for UVa. Isaac Ballou went 3 for 4 with a double for Marshall.

No. 11 Texas 8, UTSA 5 (11)

In Austin, Texas, Tant Shepherd launched a three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 11th to carry Texas past UTSA in front of 5,465 fans at UFCU Disch-Falk Field. After going 0 for 4 in his earlier plate appearances, Shepherd fouled off five pitches before depositing the eighth delivery in the visitor’s bullpen in left. Kevin Lusson had a two-run single in the second and Jordan Etier homered to spark a three-run third as the Longhorns (8-4) built a 5-0 lead. The Roadrunners (6-9) rallied for five in the eighth, capped by a two-run double by Jake Wood, to even the score at 5-5. Cole Green started and fanned nine in four scoreless innings with one hit. Corey Knebel (1-1) earned the victory, allowing one hit in 3.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts.

No. 2 Vanderbilt 12, Wofford 1

In Nashville, Tenn., Aaron Westlake had two hits, three runs and two RBI as Vanderbilt overwhelmed Wofford at Hawkins Field. The Commodores (12-1) scored two in the first, one in the third, four in the fourth and five in the seventh. Anthony Gomez (2 R, 2 RBI) and Jason Esposito (1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI) both had two hits for Vanderbilt. T.J. Pecoraro (2-0, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 8 K) was the starter and winner. David Roney tripled and scored on a balk in the fifth for the Terriers (7-5).

No. 5 Florida State 10, Maine 2

In Tallahassee, Fla., Jayce Boyd went 3 for 4 with four RBI as Florida State defeated Maine in front of 4,094 fans at Dick Howser Stadium. His two-run singles with two away in both the first and second helped the Seminoles (11-1) build a 6-0 lead. Stuart Tapley went 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBI for FSU. Gary Merians (3-0, 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K) was the starter and winner for the Seminoles. Michael Fransoso had two hits, including a homer, for the Black Bears (3-10).

No. 8 TCU 7, UT Arlington 3

In Fort Worth, Texas, Jason Coats had three hits and two RBI as TCU topped UT Arlington at Lupton Stadium. Taylor Feathereston homered, scored three and knocked in two for the Horned Frogs (8-4). Michael Guerra (2 for 3, 2 RBI) went deep in the first for the Mavericks (6-6). TCU scored one in the first, one in the second and two in the third to make it 4-1. UTA pulled to within one with single runs in the fifth and eighth before the Frogs added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.  

No. 14 North Carolina 16, Elon 0

In Chapel Hill, N.C., Colin Moran went 2 for 5 with a triple, two runs and five RBI as North Carolina blanked Elon at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (12-1) scored in each of their final five at-bats, including five in both the fifth and sixth and four in the eighth. Jeff Bouton and Greg Holt both knocked in two for UNC. Kent Emanuel (2-0, 6 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K) was the starter and winner for the Tar Heels. Niko Fraser, Ben Scott and Matt Kirchner each had a hit for the Phoenix (8-5).

No. 15 Arizona 12, UNLV 1

In Las Vegas, Alex Mejia had three hits and three RBI to lead Arizona past UNLV at Wilson Field. Mejia had a two-run double in a five-run first for the Wildcats (10-2). Joey Rickard (3 for 5, 2 R) homered in the second for Arizona. Cole Frenzel had four hits and Johnny Field scored three for the Wildcats. Vincent Littleman (1-1, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 2 K) was the starter and winner for Arizona. Rance Roundy had a double, while Richie Jimenez had two walks and scored for the Rebels (11-3).

No. 17 Texas A&M 21, Centenary 3

In College Station, Texas, Jace Statum went 4 for 5 with two triples, three runs and three RBI as Texas A&M thumped Centenary at Olsen Field. The Aggies (10-3) scored in each at-bat, including five in the fourth and four in the sixth. Jacob House (3 for 6, 2 2B, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI) and Charlie Curl (3 for 4, 4 R) also had big games at the plate for A&M. Seth Lugo and Zachary Christ both had one hit and one run for the Gents (2-4).

Sam Houston State 7, No. 19 Rice 0

In Houston, Cody Dickson and Justin Jackson combined on a five-hit shutout as Sam Houston State blanked Rice at Reckling Park. Dickson (3-0) allowed four hits in 5.1 innings with three walks and two strikeouts to register the win. Jackson allowed one hit over the final 3.2 innings with one strikeout to notch his first save. The Bearkats (11-2) scored in four of their first five at-bats to take control. Payton Wisener drove in two, while Chris Andreas and Greg Olson both had two doubles and scored one for SHSU. Jeremy Rathjen had two hits, including a double, for the Owls (8-6).

No. 20 UC Irvine 5, Connecticut 4

In Irvine, Calif., Sean Madigan had a run-scoring double in the eighth to lift UC Irvine past Connecticut at Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark. With the scored tied at 4, Drew Hillman had a leadoff double and came home on Madigan’s two-bagger. Brian Hernandez took the mound in the ninth and issued a leadoff walk before retiring the next three to earn his first save. Phillip Ferragamo (1-0, 0.2 IP, 1 H) picked up the win in relief for the Anteaters (9-1). Ronnie Shaeffer had two hits and two runs for UCI, while Jordan Leyland drove in two. Mike Nemeth and Ryan Fuller both had two hits and one run for the Huskies (5-5).

(photo by Frank Fortune)