April 18, 2009

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) and junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) combined to go 9-for-20 with four runs and three RBI for the USC Upstate baseball team in Saturday's Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader with ETSU, but couldn't ETSU used 25 runs on the day to post the sweep, 11-3 in the first game and 14-12 in the second game.

Garrett May hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning in the second game to cap a six-run comeback and lead the Bucs (18-19 overall, 9-12 A-Sun) to a 14-12 win to complete the series sweep of the Spartans (10-28 overall, 3-18 A-Sun).

May's homer to deep center came with two outs in the ninth and a 1-2 count on the batter after the Bucs loaded the bases with two walks and an infield single.

Upstate took its first lead of the game in the fifth inning when it scored two runs to take an 8-6 lead. Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) lined a single into left center to lead off and sophomore Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) followed by reaching on an error. A passed ball moved both runners up a base and after a strikeout, junior Ryan Wilkins (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist), who started the comeback with a three-run triple in the fourth, knocked a single up the middle just past the pitcher's glove to score two runs.

The Spartans scored four more in the seventh inning to take a 12-6 lead, as freshman Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) doubled down the left field line with one out. After Wilkins walked, freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) doubled into right center to score both Medley and Wilkins. After a flyout, senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) reached on an infield single. A walk loaded the bases for junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) delivered a base hit up the middle to score two more runs.

The Bucs cut the lead to two runs in the eighth inning, thanks to four straight hits capped by a three-run triple by May. May came into score on a groundout, but Upstate escaped further damage when senior Tommy Shovlin (Merritt Island, Fla./Daytona Beach C.C.) laid out to make a beautiful diving catch near the left field foul line.

Upstate rallied to tie the game with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, though, sending 10 batters to the plate and using six hits, a walk and an error to get the runs. Tanner and Morgan started the rally with singles up the middle before Green walked to load the bases. After an infield popout, Wilkins kickstarted the rally with a liner into the left-center gap. All three runners scored easily and Wilkins slid into third with a triple. A groundout brought him in to make it 6-4.

The Bucs leaped out to a 6-0 lead through the first three innings of the second game, as two unearned runs crossed in the second inning on two Upstate errors and a solo shot in the third by Paul Hoilman was followed by a three-run homer from Danny Petro.

Shovlin kept the rally going, plopping a single into right. After stealing second, he scored on a single into center field by Simpson. Senior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) followed with a line single into center, as well, and when the ball rolled away from the center fielder, Simpson built up a head of speed and slid into home safely as the relay throw home was high, tying the game at six.

Wilkins led the Spartans, going 3-for-4 with two runs and a career-high five RBI. Simpson went 2-for-6 with two runs and an RBI, Tanner went 2-for-6 with a run and two RBI, Moyer went 2-for-3 with a double, two walks and three RBI and Shovlin added a 2-for-5 effort.

ETSU was led by May, who had two hits, a triple and a grand slam, two runs and seven RBI. Petro added two runs, two hits and three RBI and Hoilman and Ben Allen scored three runs.

Bo Burton (1-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 1 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and no runs and Bo Reeder took the save, tossing a 1-2-3 ninth. Junior Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) (0-5) took the loss, allowing five runs and striking out one in 1 2/3 innings.

Thanks to three multiple-run innings, ETSU was able to take the opener of the doubleheader, 11-3, staving off a mid-game rally by Upstate by scoring seven unanswered runs.

The Spartans cut the lead to a single run at 4-3 in the fifth inning thanks to a pair of runs. Guillen led off with a push bunt single before sophomore Keith Bisgounis (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) reached on a fielder's choice. Tanner followed with a double to center field to bring in Bisgounis. A grounder to third moved Tanner to third and a walk put runners on the corners for Medley, who ripped a first-pitch double to left to bring in Tanner.

The Bucs opened the game up though in the sixth innings, thanks to four runs, as Jacob Fabry drove in three with a bases-loaded double to left field before coming in to score on a wild pitch. The Bucs closed the game with a three-run ninth, using two hits, an error and a walk to get the runs.

Upstate took a 1-0 lead in the first game, as Green singled with one out in the second inning. After a strikeout, a walk moved Green to second where he scored on a single off the pitcher's leg by Guillen.

ETSU answered with a three-run third inning, capped by a two-run homer from Bo Reeder. In the fifth, Reeder went deep again to right field, helping the Bucs to a 4-1 lead.

Fabry and Reeder led the Bucs offensively, combining for four runs and seven RBI. Fabry had two hits, four RBI and the double. Reeder had three hits, two runs on two homers and three RBI.

Morgan finished 3-for-4 and both Guillen and Tanner added two hits for Upstate.

Josh Gonzaga (2-2) earned the win for ETSU, pitching seven innings, allowing 10 hits, three walks and three runs. He struck out three. Freshman Ryan Fern (Oviedo, Fla./Winter Springs) (1-5) took the loss in five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs. He struck out three.

Upstate gets back in action on Tuesday when it hosts South Carolina at Harley Park at 6 p.m. in a non-conference game.