April 25, 2009

Final Stats

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games by going a combined 4-for-8 on Saturday, but the USC Upstate baseball fell victim to first-place Florida Gulf Coast twice at Swanson Stadium, falling 7-3, in the opener and 8-4, in the nightcap to wrap up an Atlantic Sun Conference series.

FGCU (25-16 overall, 16-5 A-Sun) used two three-run innings in the second game to secure an 8-4 win and overcome a three-run Spartan lead early in the game.

The Eagles got a leadoff homer from Josh Upchurch to leadoff the second game, but the Spartans (10-33 overall, 3-21 A-Sun) responded with four runs in the top of the second to take a three-run lead. Senior Phillip Morgan (Campobello, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) started the rally with a single to right field. Senior Eric Guillen (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Thousand Oaks) followed with a single that dropped in short right field and a close fielder's choice put senior Tommy Shovlin (Merritt Island, Fla./Daytona Beach C.C.) on first. Junior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) followed with an infield single on a hit-and-run to score Morgan and freshman Jeff Medley (Merritt Island, Fla./Daytona Beach C.C.) reached on a two-base error to score Shovlin. A groundout scored Dempsey and a single into left by senior Kyle Simpson (Lyman, S.C./Byrnes) scored Medley.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the inning thanks to two walks and Zach Roberson's school record-breaking 15th homer of the year. FGCU took a three-run lead in the fourth by scoring three runs on a walk, three singles and a triple from Upchurch. Another run crossed on three hits in the eighth, but Dempsey cut down a runner at the plate to end the inning and keep it a four-run game.

Richie Erath (5-3) earned the win for the Eagles, tossing six innings, allowing eight hits and one earned run. He struck out four before yielding to Derek Shaw, who earned his second save with three innings of work. Shaw allowed three hits and struck out seven with a solid breaking ball.

Freshman Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) (2-6) took the loss, throwing four innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs. Junior Teddy Fallon (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Boston College) did well in relief, throwing four innings and allowing just one run. He gave up six hits and a walk, but neutralized most of the danger with seven strikeouts.

Morgan went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI and two other Spartans had two-hit games, but a six-run fifth inning lifted the Eagles to a 7-3 win in game one.

Upstate manufactured a run with three hits in the third inning, as Dempsey singled to lead off. After a flyout, Guillen reached on a base hit. A hit and run groundout moved the runners up, setting up an infield single by Morgan that scored Dempsey.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, though, as Tim Roberson hit his school-record-tying 14th homer to left. Upstate took the lead back in the top of the fifth, as Simpson coaxed a walk with one out. Junior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) added a two-walk, setting up a single through the left side by Morgan, who sent Simpson in standing up just before the FGCU tag.

The lead was short-lived however, as FGCU posted six straight hits in the bottom of the inning, with the first four that manufactured the first two runs barely clearing infielder's gloves or not even leaving the infield. After a line single into left, Zach Maxfield lifted a three-run homer to make it 7-2.

The Spartans manufactured a run to make it a four-run game in the seventh, as Morgan led off with a double down the line and then moving to third and scoring on groundouts.

Dempsey went 2-for-4 with a run and Green added a 2-for-4 game with an RBI. FGCU had seven players contribute to its eight hits, with only Tim Roberson posting two hits. He also added two runs, a homer and two RBI.

Pete Woodworth (3-1) earned the win with six innings of six-hit, two-run baseball. He walked two and struck out seven. Craig Crumbly earned his second save, finishing the game with three innings of two-hit, one-run ball.

Junior Matt Branham (Columbia, S.C./Spring Valley) (0-4) took the loss, allowing eight hits and seven runs in five innings. He struck out two. Senior Phillip Myers (Louisville, Ky./Seminole C.C.) was superb in relief, tossing three innings of perfect relief, striking out six, including four in a row at one point.

Upstate now takes an extended break for final exams before getting back in action on Tuesday, May 5 when it hosts Wofford at 1:30 p.m. in a makeup of the March 25 game that was postponed due to rain.