Miller, Moye Spark Eagles to Finale Win

STATESBORO, Ga. – Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) tied two Georgia Southern single-game records and Andy Moye (Alpharetta/Alpharetta) pitched five solid innings as the Eagles defeated Boston College 18-6 Sunday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles recorded their first win of the 2008 season (1-2 overall).

Miller finished the day 5-for-5 with five runs scored and four RBI. His runs scored and three doubles both tied a GS single-game record, while matching his career-high hit total for the third time. Miller, who also homered and singled, became the fourth current Eagle to match the doubles record and his 11 total bases were the most since Mike Economos had 10 in the 2007 season-opener in Hawai’i.

Moye, a redshirt-freshman making his collegiate debut, walked BC’s first batter on four straight pitches. Facing a 3-2 count on Sam Shaughnessy (who hit three home runs in game two yesterday), Moye picked Marc Perdios off first base then struck out Shaughnessy swinging. Moye fanned Tony Sanchez to end the first.

Miller led off the Eagles’ half of the first with a double down the right field line. He eventually scored on A.J. Wirnsberger’s (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) two-out single through the left side.

GS plated three runs the next frame. Brian Pierce (Roswell/Roswell) delivered a one-out single up the middle. Jeremy Beckham (Griffin/Griffin) executed a hit-and-run, and then advanced on the throw to put two runners in scoring position. Miller ripped a double to right field, scoring both. Miller went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jonathan King’s (Athens, TN/McMinn County) sacrifice fly for a 4-0 lead.

In the third, Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) hit a one-out double, which chased starter Nick Asselin. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) greeted relief pitcher John Leonard with a shot over the centerfield fence, giving GS a 6-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Barry Butera lined a 3-2 pitch with two outs over the right field fence for a 2-run homer. However, those would be the only runs surrendered by Moye.

The Eagles broke the game open in the fourth inning. Miller tied the doubles record hitting number three to start the frame. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) drew a one-out intentional walk and Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) walked to load the bases.

Wirnsberger hit a sacrifice fly then Blackburn lined a RBI single. With two runners on, Benedict hammered another home run off Leonard, his first-ever two-HR game and set a career-high of five RBI. That put the Eagles ahead 11-2.

During the fifth, GS plated another five runs. Miller hit a 2-run homer. Parker hit a sacrifice fly, Wirnsberger recorded a RBI groundout then Blackburn hit his first homer of the year, a solo shot off the new scoreboard in left field for a 16-2 advantage.

Boston College loaded the bases off sophomore A.J. Gilbert (Marietta/Kell) and scored a run off a balk. However, Gilbert recorded a strikeout and groundout to get out of the jam.

Miller matched his hits career-high with a single to start the sixth.

“I’m glad we got out there, played hard today and got that first win. This is a big boost for us. Yesterday we left guys on third base with only one out, but to get A.J.’s (Wirnsberger) two-out RBI single in the first really gave us a lift,” said Miller. “With the runs we put on the scoreboard today this is definitely a big win. We got this one under our belt, which should help us heading into the Georgia Tech series.”

BC (2-1) scored a run in the eighth and two more with two outs in the ninth.

Moye scattered two hits, walked one and struck out four in his debut. Tony Chisman (Conyers/Salem) pitched a scoreless seventh inning, as he was one of eight Eagle pitchers to make their collegiate debut during the three-game series. Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) matched his career-high of three strikeouts working the last 1.2 innings.

Benedict scored two runs to go with his two homers and five RBI. Blackburn added three hits and three runs scored. King recorded two hits, his third-straight multi-hit game to start his Georgia Southern career. After allowing 25 runs on 32 hits during yesterday’s doubleheader loss, GS out-hit Boston College 16-7.

Asselin gave up five runs on six hits in 2.1 innings. Butera led BC with three hits and three RBI.

Category: Baseball

Published on Sunday, 24 February 2008 00:02