Eagles End Up on Wrong Side of Pitcher's Duel

STATESBORO, Ga. - A pair of quality starts from both starting pitchers sent the first game of the three-game Southern Conference opening series between the Georgia Southern Baseball team and Elon to the wire. The Phoenix picked up the game one win 4-3 after the Eagles left two runners on base in the ninth inning.

Both starting pitchers went eight innings in the contest and were sharp at times, but both allowed home runs in the contest. Kyle Webb (2-2) was not able to go the distance after starting the ninth inning but picked up the win with help from his bullpen. Nate Young (2) struck out the final two batters of the game for his second save of the season. Webb punched out six batters in 8.1 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) went the distance for the Eagles but was the loser after allowing four runs - three earned - on eight hits. Beck tied a season-high with eight strikeouts and allowed three walks.

The two squads exchanged the lead three times before Elon (8-5, 3-1) took the lead for good in the seventh inning on a two-run homer off the bat of Sebastian Gomez. Beck got two quick outs to start the frame but walked the third batter he faced. Eric Serra quickly moved into scoring position with a stolen base and scored on Gomez's second long ball of the season.

Georgia Southern (7-7, 0-1), down two runs with just three outs remaining, scored a run in the ninth inning after loading the bases on a walk by Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.). Stryker Brown (Dalton, Ga.) led off with a quick single in front of the centerfielder Niko Fraser. Scooter Williams (Detroit, Mich.) followed with a fielder's choice before Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) grounded a ball back up the middle for a base hit. Two wild pitches scored a run and put Phillips on third base but strikeouts of  Casey Kicklighter (Jesup, Ga.) and T.D. Davis (Evans, Ga.) ended any chance of extra innings.

Georgia Southern struck first with a single run in the fourth inning. Burruss plated a runner from third with a bouncing ball off the mound and sent it through the middle of the defense for a base hit. The first two batters of the inning reached on a pair of infield errors before a double play moved Brown to third base. Davis added the Eagles' second run in the fifth inning on a solo shot over the tall wall in left field.

Elon took a short 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning, scoring on a wild pitch and a single by Niko Fraser. Ryan Kinsella led off the frame with a double into the right field gap and reached third base on a single into left field by Garrett Koster. A passed ball moved Koster to third base, and he later crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Fraser, who blooped a single in front of centerfielder Williams to reach base, was thrown out at the plate by Phillips to prevent a third run from coming home.

The three-game series continues tomorrow at 2 p.m. and concludes on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest. Jarret Leverett (Eatonton, Ga.) (1-0, 2.08) is set to make his first start of the season and will face Dylan Clark (3-1, 1.66) tomorrow.

All games can be heard on Boomer 103.7 FM and inside the stadium on 88.1 FM. Audio for all games is also available on the web and subscription video is available for all home games at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/Eaglevision.

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Category: Baseball

Published on Friday, 09 March 2012 19:44