Eagles Take Series from Xavier

Box Score | Video: Post Game with Coach Hennon | Photo Album

STATESBORO, Ga. - A seven-run seventh inning and solid pitching helped Georgia Southern take the series with a 9-3 win over Xavier Sunday at J.I. Clements Stadium.

Georgia Southern (6-5) sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs on six hits in the seventh inning to take a six-run lead. Evan Challenger (1-1) held Xavier (3-6) scoreless over the final three frames and struck out two in the ninth inning for his first career win.

“I was real pleased with the way we played today,” Head Coach Rodney Hennon said. “We got good pitching from Justin Hess, played solid defense; and Evan Challenger did a nice job for us, especially after the big inning.”

Musketeer starter Tyler Koors turned a one-run lead over to the bullpen in the seventh inning. Cole Watson started the rally after being hit by a pitch. Three-straight singles, including one from Chase Griffin that scored the tying and game-winning runs, followed before an intentional walk of T.D. Davis loaded the bases for Robbie Dodds. Dodds drove in two more runs with a base hit. Brent Pugh, Kyle Streicher and Scooter Williams also plated runs in the frame.

“We had a good approach, had some good swings and some big two-strike hits. We made some hard outs at times in the middle innings but had some good at-bats in the seven-run inning” Hennon said about his team's offensive performance.

Reliever Jacob Bodner (0-1) took the loss after surrendering three runs on two hits. Bodner recorded just one out from the four batters he faced before being lifted for Joe Forney. Forney gave up two hits including the single to Griffin and allowed three runs.

The Eagles tallied 12 hits and walked six times. Williams and Dodds totaled three hits each. Dodds finished with three RBIs, and Morgan and Griffin walked twice. Lead off hitter Mark Elwell led Xavier with four hits and two doubles on the day but scored only one run after being stranded twice. Patrick Paligraf and Stephen Schoettmer both added two hits apiece.

Georgia Southern scored a first inning run for the ninth time in 10 games this season, extending their first inning run-scored streak to seven games. Back-to-back two-out hits from Davis and Dodds drove in two runs and gave the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.

Xavier answered back in the third and fifth innings to take a 3-2 lead. After back-to-back hits from Selby Chidemo and Elwell put two runners in scoring position in the third inning, Brian Bruening grounded out  to plate the Musketeers' first run of the game. Elwell drove in a lead off double from Mitch Elliott in the fifth inning and later scored the second run of the inning on a two-out single from Vinny Nittoli.

The Eagles travel to Kennesaw State Tuesday. The game can be heard on the Georgia Southern Radio Network and online at gseagles.com. First pitch from Stillwell Baseball Stadium is set for 6 p.m.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.

Category: Baseball

Published on Sunday, 03 March 2013 17:18