April 3, 2010

Final Stats

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Junior Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) broke out of a 2-for-23 slump in a big way on Saturday as he went 7-for-9 with three runs and three RBI to lead the USC Upstate baseball team through a pair of wild games at Harley Park, but in each case, Jacksonville was able to hold on for wins, 10-8 and 10-9, respectively, in Atlantic Sun Conference action.

In the second game, Jacksonville (16-13 overall, 8-4 A-Sun) used single tallies in the eighth and ninth frames to come-from-behind to beat Upstate (9-22 overall, 1-10 A-Sun), 10-9.

Down 9-8 in the top of the eighth, the Dolphins manufactured a run thanks to a one-out walk from Chuck Opachich, a single by Jonathan Murphy that moved him to third base before he scored on a fielder's choice. In the ninth, the Dolphins took the lead thanks to a single by Adam Britt Walker that hit Upstate's sophomore pitcher Ryan Fern (Oviedo, Fla./Winter Springs) square on the hand. Esterlin Perozo followed with a double past a diving shortstop and Walker scored on a groundout.

Upstate fought back from an 8-4 deficit, tying the game with a four-run sixth inning, as junior Andre Harris (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) walked to lead off and Barnes followed with a double down the right field line that scored Harris. Freshman Tyler Miller (Fort Lawn, S.C./Fort Lawn) followed with a single that scored Barnes and freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) followed with a double into left center that scored Barnes and moved Miller to third. After a foul out, a sac fly brought in Miller and sophomore Jeff Medley (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) lined a single into left field to tie the game, scoring Greer with two outs.

Upstate took the lead in the seventh, as freshman Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins) delivered a triple to deep right center and he scored on a wild pitch. Upstate left a runner stranded on third base in the inning, though.

The Dolphins took an 8-4 lead after five and a half innings, as doubles by Derek Abis and Jamaal Hawkins brought in two runs in the sixth and a two-run homer from Adam Martinez put Jacksonville ahead by two runs in the fifth inning.

The Dolphins took a 4-0 lead after one and a half innings, scoring an unearned run in the first before posting three in the second, as Murphy hit a two-run homer in the inning.

Upstate got back into the game with three runs in the bottom of the second, though, as senior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) was hit by a pitch to lead off. He took second on a balk and scored on a single by Richardson before Harris blasted a homer to right field. The Spartans tied the game at four in the fourth inning, as Dempsey singled to lead off before taking second on a single by Harris and scoring on one from Barnes.

Barnes led Upstate with three hits, two RBI and a run in the second game, while Greer added a run and RBI, senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill) posted two hits and a RBI, Harris had two hits, two runs and two RB and Richardson posted two hits and two runs.

Jacksonville was led by two hits each from Murphy, who added three RBI, Hawkins, Martinez, Dan Gulbransen and Perozo.

Chris Kaminski (3-3) picked up the win, throwing two scoreless innings and allowing a hit. He struck out three. Fern (1-1) took the loss for Upstate, allowing three hits and two runs in three innings. He walked one and struck out two.

In the first game, freshman Gaither Bumgardner (Fort Lawn, S.C./Great Falls) hit the second grand slam of the year for the Spartans, but Upstate could not overcome an 8-1 deficit as Jacksonville snuck away with a 10-8 win.

The Dolphins scored a single run in the first, thanks to two hits and an error and added two more in the third, using two hits, a walk and a sacrifice to score the runs. Upstate cut the lead to two runs with some two-out damage in the bottom of the third, as junior Joe Barnes (Lake Orion, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) singled to right for his first of four hits, moved to third on a single by freshman Brody Greer (Honea Path, S.C./Belton-Honea Path) and scored on a single by Bumgardner.

Jacksonville got four runs in the fourth, though, using three hits, an error and a walk to get the runs across, with a three-run homer from Jonathan Murphy highlighting the inning. The Dolphins added another run in the fifth, using an error and a two-out RBI single from Alan Swenson to take an 8-1 lead.

Upstate got a run back in the fifth, as Barnes singled with one out before a fielder's choice allowed Greer to reach. Bumgardner moved Greer to third on a single by Bumgardner and he scored on a single by senior Jimmy Tanner (Fayetteville, Ga./Starr's Mill). The Dolphins followed with a run in the top of the sixth thanks to a single and an error by Chuck Opachich, a sac bunt and a wild pitch.

The Spartans cut the lead down to two runs in the sixth inning, though, with a five-run frame, as freshman Trey Richardson (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins), freshman Tyler Miller (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) and junior Blake Green (Rock Hill, S.C./Northwestern) led off with singles to load the bases. Barnes followed with a single into center field to bring in Richardson and after a fielder's choice cut Miller down at the plate, Bumgardner launched a shot off the batter's eye in center field, making the score, 9-7.

The Dolphins added a tally in the ninth inning as Jamaal Hawkins homered to center field and Upstate, which stranded two runners in the eighth, started its ninth with a bang, as senior Brian Dempsey (Montverde, Fla./East Ridge) tripled to lead off and scored on a sac fly.

Bumgardner led the Spartans, going 3-for-5 with the homer and five RBI and Barnes added a perfect 4-for-4 effort with two runs and a RBI.

The Dolphins were led by a 3-for-4 effort from Murphy, who also posted a double, a homer, three runs and three RBI. Hawkins went 3-for-5 with a run and two RBI and Opachich also added two hits and three runs.

Matt Tomshaw (3-1) earned the win, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing 11 hits and seven runs. He walked two and struck out one. Chris Kaminski earned his sixth save, allowing two hits and a run in two innings. He struck out one.

Freshman Scott DeCecco (Cape May Courthouse, N.J./Middle Township) (0-4) took the loss, allowing seven hits and six earned runs in four innings. Senior Tyler Oliver (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) pitched well in relief, allowing one earned run in four innings. He allowed four hits and struck out one.

Upstate gets back on the field on Tuesday when Charlotte heads into Harley Park for a 6 p.m. non-conference game.