April 10, 2010

Final Stats

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Seniors Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) and Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) extended their hitting streaks with base hits in each end of the USC Upstate baseball team's doubleheader against the University of North Florida on Saturday afternoon, with Tanner reaching nine straight games and Dempsey reaching six, but the Ospreys were able to take both games, 16-3 and 14-0, at Harmon Stadium.

In the first game, North Florida scored 16 runs in the first four innings to guide itself to a 16-3, seven-inning win, as the Ospreys posted 20 hits and George Lott pitched a complete-game nine-hitter to help North Florida coach Dusty Rhodes win the 1,200th game in his career.

The Ospreys got out quick in the first inning, scoring three runs on four hits, an error and a walk. Three more runs helped North Florida score two runs in the second and three more runs on four hits crossed in the third to give North Florida an 8-0 lead.

The Ospreys scored eight more runs in the fourth, as Preston Hale capped the inning with a three-run homer to right field.

Upstate got on the board in the fifth inning, as sophomore Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) led off by doubling off the wall in right-center. After a strikeout, junior Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) walked and freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) singled to load the bases. A single by sophomore Austin Moyer (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) brought in a run and a sac fly scored Green.

In the sixth, the Spartans scored another run, as senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) singled through the left side and Moyer followed with a double down the right field line, helping Tanner reach third, where he scored on a groundout.

Moyer led the Spartans with two hits, both doubles, and a run for the Spartans. The Ospreys had five players finish with three hits, as Michael Smith added three RBI and two runs, Hale posted four RBI and a homer, David Eldredge added two runs and RBI, Kyle Dahl posted three runs and two hits and Sam Perry notched two runs.

Lott (5-0) allowed nine hits and three runs in the complete game. He walked one and struck out four. Junior Philip Brannon (Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) (1-6) took the loss, allowing 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Freshman Bobby Jackson (Gaffney, S.C./Gaffney) made his debut for Upstate in the game after struggling with shoulder issues. He tossed a scoreless sixth inning, allowing two hits and getting a groundball double play.

In the second game, Michael Kelly threw a 10-hit shutout and the Ospreys posted 21 hits to take the game, 14-0. Kelly (4-4) struck out seven and walked one while stranding nine Upstate runners in the game and he was also helped by three double plays.

The Ospreys got on the board in the first inning in the second game, as an error, a hit-and-run single and a fielder's choice did the damage. In the second inning, Michael Smith hit a two-run homer to left to give UNF a 3-0 lead and another run crossed on an RBI single by Andrew Karmaris.

Upstate's offense was cut short in each of the first two innings, as a liner for a double play helped stop a first-and-third threat in the first inning and a runner was cut down at home on a double down the right field line by freshman Tyler Miller (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) in the second inning.

In the fourth, UNF got two more runs as Justin Preckajlo hit a two-run shot to left field. The Ospreys got three more runs in the fifth inning on four hits to take a 9-0 lead. Kyle Dahl added a three-run homer in the sixth for UNF. Two more runs crossed in the eighth inning thanks to three hits.

The 8-9-1-2 batters for North Florida combined for 14 of the Ospreys' 21 hits, as T.J. Gavlik posted four hits, two runs and two RBI and Smith posted three hits, three runs and three RBI. Freshman Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins) led the Spartans by going 3-for-3 while seven other players chipped in with a base hit.

Freshman Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J./Middle Township) took the loss for Upstate, allowing five earned runs in four innings. He walked four and struck out two.

Upstate wraps up its three-game set with UNF on Sunday with a 1 p.m. start at Harmon Stadium.