Eagles Rally in Ninth for 13-12 Win

STATESBORO, Ga. – Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) capped a career-high night with a walk-off RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning as Georgia Southern rallied for a 13-12 win over Towson Friday night (Feb. 29) at J.I. Clements Stadium. The Eagles improved to 2-4 while Towson fell to 2-2.

Down two in the ninth, Jeremiah Parker (Carrollton/Carrollton) started off with a single to right. Griffin Benedict (Dunwoody/St. Pius) was hit by an offering from Jon Dupski (0-1). Jonathan King (Athens, TN/McMinn County) reached on a fielder’s choice, putting runners at first and second with one out.

Pinch-hitting Will Southwell (Moultrie/Colquitt County) bounced a 2-run double down the right field line to tie the game. Two batters later, Porter sent a 3-2 pitch through the right side and Southwell easily scored the game-winner to cap the come-from-behind win.

“I really wanted to focus on seeing the ball and I got some good pitches to hit,” said Porter, who finished with a career-high five hits. “During the final at-bat I wanted to wait for the right pitch and I got the one I wanted. It just happened to be my night.”

Drew Murray (LaGrange/LaGrange) walked leadoff batter Nick Natoli to start the game. He advanced to third on a stolen base and groundout then scored on Steve Yarsinsky’s single up the middle.

Parker singled with one out in the second. He was picked off base by pitcher Josh Squatrito for the second out. Benedict hammered his team-leading third home run, a solo shot to right centerfield to tie the score.

Miller made a diving catch in front of rightfielder Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) in the gap for the second out of the fourth inning. Greg Furmanek singled then Jason Stifler hit a 2-run shot to give Towson a 3-1 lead.

The Eagles got one run back in the fourth thanks to Benedict’s sacrifice fly. However, Towson plated two more runs in the fifth to chase Murray. Furmanek greeted reliever Michael Hester (Evans/Greenbrier) with a 2-run double down the right field line, extending the lead to 7-2.

GS returned the favor in its half of the fifth. Matt Miller (Canton/Woodstock) drew a one-out walk. Porter, making his first start of the year, tied his previous career-high hit total (3) and set a new mark in doubles (2) hitting a two-bagger over the head of centerfielder Kevin Collins. Miller slid around the tag to score. Shehan hit his second homer of the year, a blast to the left field gap cutting the deficit to 7-5 and chasing starter Squatrito for freshman Spencer Patton.

Kyle Blackburn (Marietta/Walton) continued the rally with a single up the middle and A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, AL/Paul Bear Bryant) followed with a walk. Parker advanced the runners over then Benedict lined a shot over Collins to plate both runs and tie the game.

Miller hit a one-out double in the sixth. He scored on Porter’s fourth hit in as many at-bats, and then the junior outfielder took second on the throw home. Shehan was intentionally walked then Blackburn ripped a 2-run double into the left field gap, extending the Eagles’ lead to 10-7.

The Tigers scored two more runs with two outs when Furmanek hit a 2-run shot in the seventh inning. Gary Helmick tied the game with one down in the eighth on a solo homer. Towson scored again with two outs, taking a 12-10 lead on Matt Collins’s 2-run shot. Of Towson’s 12 runs, 10 came with two outs.

Porter also matched his personal-high of three RBI. Blackburn, Wirnsberger, Parker and Benedict had two hits apiece as the Eagles out-hit Towson 16-13. Benedict drove in a team-high four runs, one of five Eagles with at least two RBI. The 1-4 batters in the Eagles line-up combined for nine hits, seven RBI and eight runs scored.

Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine) picked up the win in relief. He gave up two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings, striking out one. Murray was charged for seven runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Dupski was charged for all three runs in the ninth on three hits. Squatrito allowed five runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings. Furmanek finished with three hits, four RBI and two runs.

Category: Baseball

Published on Friday, 29 February 2008 00:18