March 28, 2009

Final Stats (Game One) | Final Stats (Game Two)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Three players finished with three hits in the second game of Saturday's Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader at Jacksonville, but Upstate couldn't climb out of an eight-run, third-inning hole as Jacksonville took a 14-7 win to sweep the doubleheader after the Spartans fell 14-1 in the first game at John Sessions Stadium.

Down 8-0 and without a hit in the third inning, the Upstate (7-17 overall, 2-10 A-Sun) offense started to get hot, finishing the game with 13 safeties. Senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) finished 3-for-5 with three runs, junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) went 3-for-5 with two runs and a RBI for his fourth three-hit game of the season and freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) went 3-for-5 with a career-high four RBI.

The Spartans got back into the game with four runs in the fifth inning, scoring all the runs with two outs, making the score 8-6. Freshman Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep) led off with a bunt single and after two popups, Simpson singled into right field to move Liput to second. A failed pickoff by the catcher brought Liput around from second and then Tanner blasted a double into deep center field to score Simpson. Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) reached as the pitcher tried to backhand a popup and Moyer made him pay with a triple down the right field line, scoring two runs.

The Dolphins (17-8 overall, 8-4 A-Sun) got one run to cross in the bottom of the inning thanks to a double from Derek Grimes, a walk, a hit batter and a sac fly, making it a three-run game. Upstate cut the deficit back to 9-7 in the seventh inning, scoring a single run as Simpson led off with a single up the middle. After a flyout, an error moved Simpson to third, where he scored on a seeing-eye single through the right side by Moyer.

Four runs crossed in the Dolphins' half of the seventh on three hits and two walks, though, to give Jacksonville a 13-7 lead. Another run in the eighth scored on three straight hits and Chris Kaminski shut the Spartans down for his sixth save, coming in with one out in the seventh, allowing three hits, but also striking out three to keep Upstate from completing the comeback.

Jacksonville got out to another hot start in the second game, batting around in the first inning and scoring three runs on three hits and an error. Four more runs crossed in the second inning on three hits, two walks and a hit batter, as Derek Grimes capped the rally with a single to left field. A solo homer by Kyle Fleming made it 8-0 in the third inning.

The Spartans cut the lead to six runs with two in the fourth inning, as Simpson singled to left field with one out and Tanner followed with a bloop single into right field. After a fly out, Moyer dumped an RBI single into center field and sophomore Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) added an RBI single into center field, making it 8-2.

Liput added two hits, a run and a double for Upstate, while Alex Martinez went 3-for-5 with four RBI and Fleming went 3-for-4 with three runs and a RBI to pace Jacksonville's 16-hit game.

Glenn Witkowski (3-1) pitched five innings, allowing eight hits and six runs, three earned. He struck out four. Freshman Ryan Fern (Oviedo, Fla./Winter Springs) (1-3) took the loss for Upstate, pitching three innings, allowing seven hits and seven earned runs. He walked four and struck out one.

Jacksonville pounded 19 hits in the opening game, while Matt Tomshaw threw a seven-inning six-hitter to lead the Dolphins to a 14-1 win over the Spartans in a seven-inning game.

After an opening run in the bottom of the second, two hits and a walk led to the first Dolphin run. Three more runs on four hits and two-run homer by Jeremy Gillan came in the third inning, before Upstate scratched a run across to make the score 4-1, as senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) reached on an error with one out. Junior Jacob Breen (Marietta, Ga./Birmingham Southern) followed with an infield single and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position and a groundout scored Morgan.

The Dolphins responded with five runs on four hits and two walks in the fourth inning to break the game open and the Dolphins added five more runs in the fifth and sixth innings to close out their scoring.

The Dolphins had four players finish with three hits, as Jamaal Hawkins was 3-for-3 with two runs and a RBI, Thomas Myers was 3-for-4 with two runs and a RBI, Kevin Lehane was 3-for-4 with a run, two RBI and a homer and Chris Connelly went 3-for-4 with a run and four RBI. Breen led the Spartans with two of Upstate's six hits.

Tomshaw (3-1) pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and a walk to earn his third win. He struck out two and gave up an unearned run.

Senior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) (1-1) took the loss, pitching 3 1/3 innings, allowing 10 hits, three walks and nine runs. He struck out five.

Upstate stays on the road on Tuesday, taking the short trip down Interstate 26 for a non-conference match at Presbyterian on Tuesday at 3 p.m.