March 19, 2010

Final Stats

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - A game that started as a pitchers' duel with no runs through the first five and a half innings turned into a slugfest late, with East Tennessee State University scoring 13 runs in their final three at bats to outpace the USC Upstate baseball team, which loaded the bases in each of the last three innings, in a 13-4 win at Cardinal Park in the opening game of a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference set on Friday night.

The Spartans (7-12 overall, 0-4 A-Sun) rallied to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning, as they scored three runs. Senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) led off with a double to left field. After a groundout, junior Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids, Mich.) tripled into center field, scoring Tanner. Sophomore pinch hitter Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) tied the game with a single into right center and freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) followed with a double into left center, moving Medley to third, where he scored on a sac fly to give Upstate a 3-2 lead.

The Bucs (11-4 overall, 1-0 A-Sun) answered right back with a five-run inning, as a leadoff walk set up a one-out homer from Andrew Green and Bo Reeder added a two-run triple before scoring to give the Bucs a four-run lead.

Upstate started the bottom of the seventh quickly, loading the bases with no outs on singles by sophomore Austin Liput (Oviedo, Fla./Trinity Prep), Tanner and sophomore Tyler Cook (Bloomington, Ill./University), but a groundball double play helped the Bucs get out of the inning while allowing just one run.

The Bucs, meanwhile, scored six more runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 13-4 lead after a three-run homer from Kerry Doane capped the inning.

ETSU dented the scoreboard first after both ETSU's starter Chas Byrne and Upstate's junior Phillip Brannon (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist) traded zeroes for the first five-and-half innings. Finally, ETSU opened up the pitchers' duel with a pair of runs on doubles by Paul Hoilman and Doane in the bottom of the sixth.

Tanner led the Spartans with three hits and a run and Greer added two doubles to lead the Spartans, who posted 10 hits in the game.

Hoilman led the Bucs with four hits, three runs and a RBI and Doane posted two hits, a double, a homer and five RBI. Green also added two hits, two runs and two RBI.

Byrne (3-2) earned the win, as he pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits and four runs. He struck out seven and walked one. Brannon (1-3) took the loss, allowing five hits, four walks and five runs in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out five.

Upstate and ETSU will complete their three-game set on Saturday with a doubleheader set to start at 1 p.m.