Baseball Falls In Series Opener to Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana Hoosiers struck for two runs in the first inning and scored three unearned runs in the eighth inning to pick up a 7-2 win over the Georgia Southern Baseball team in the series opener. The Eagles were unable to get the bats going early and crossed the plate for the first time in the seventh inning.

ChrisBeck (Jefferson, Ga.) struggled in the first inning for the second-straight start and gave up two runs in the opening frame on a Sam Travis two-run home run over the center field wall. Indiana (17-21) was aggressive early in the count and  had early success with three runs in the first three innings.

Dillon Dooney gave the Hoosiers a three-run lead in the third inning with a RBI single to right field. Kyle Schwerber picked up his second hit in as many at-bats and doubled to lead off the inning. The Hoosiers tallied six hits in the first three innings, before Beck (4-4) struck out the side in the fourth inning.

Beck punched out 11, including seven from the fourth inning on, to post his fourth-career 10+ strikeout game for Georgia Southern (22-18). The Junior right-hander took the loss though, after allowing seven runs - four earned - in his third complete game of the season. Beck did not walk a batter but gave up a career-high 12 hits in his fourth loss of the season.

Joey DeNato tossed his fifth-straight quality start for Indiana and held the Eagles scoreless through six innings. DeNato (6-1) picked up his first win at home after allowing just one earned run on six hits in 6.1 innings. The bullpen of Ryan Halstead and Jonny Hoffman combined to throw 2.2 scoreless frames and allowed just a hit each. Hoffman (S, 2) earned the save after tossing the final 1.2 innings.

Georgia Southern finally got to DeNato in the seventh inning and scored two runs on one play. With two runners in scoring position, Tyler Avera (Baxley, Ga.) chopped a ball down the third base line that scored Chase Griffin (Leesburg, Ga.) on a play at the plate. The throw from a fielding DeNato sailed high of the catcher and allowed another run in T.D. Davis (Evans, Ga.) to cross the plate.

A two-out error in the eighth inning kept the inning alive and gave the runs back. Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.), who had two hits on the day, was unable to get a handle on a ball hit to him by Will Nolden. Chris Sujka doubled to right field to plate the first two runs in the frame, and Dustin DeMuth struck for another run on a bouncing ball back up the middle.

The three-game series continues tomorrow at 1 p.m. and concludes on Sunday with another 12 p.m. first pitch at Sembower Field.

All baseball games this season can be heard on the Boomer 103.7 FM and inside J.I. Clements 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.

Fans can follow their Eagles at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com or receive short updates at facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics or on Google+ at gplus.to/GSAthletics.

Category: Baseball

Published on Friday, 20 April 2012 18:14