Record-Setting First Round Win for Georgia Southern
5/22/2008 4:27:00 AM | Baseball
After stranding five runners in the first two innings, the Eagles (33-23) broke through in the third inning. Chris Shehan (Strasburg, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) hit a leadoff triple off the scoreboard in left field.
A.J. Wirnsberger (
Sean Snell hit a 3-run homer in the fourth, then Ray Quinones hit a two-out RBI double to cap the four run frame.
Parker got one of those runs back in the Eagles' half of the fourth. He took the first pitch from White and hit a two-out solo homer. It was his fifth career 2-home run game (which tied a SoCon Tournament record), and second of his career in the Tournament.
Greg Feltes hit a 2-run homer with one down in the fifth. A walk to Tim Carrier chased starter Kyle Kamppi (Savannah/Benedictine). Trent Franzago (Byron/Peach County) issued a walk and gave up a RBI single to Corey Overholtzer which tied the game. Aaron Eubanks (Moultrie/Colquitt County) struck out the final two batters in the fifth to end the Spartans' threat.
UNCG took its first lead in the sixth. With runners at the corners and one out, Feltes hit a comebacker to Eubanks. He tried turning a 1-6-3 double play but the throw to first was not in time, allowing the go-ahead run to score. However the Eagles quickly regained the lead, one they would not relinquish.
Phillip Porter (Marietta/Sprayberry) and Shehan hit consecutive singles with one down in the sixth. Benedict dropped a RBI double between the center and right fielders then Parker followed with an infield single to score Shehan.
UNCG got another two-out RBI hit from Quinones, a single in the seventh. Two out hitting by the Eagles in their half broke the game open.
With Porter on first and two outs, Benedict started the hit parade with a single. Parker walked and Wirnsberger lined a 2-run single up the middle.
The Eagles added three more in the eighth. Wirnsberger had a RBI groundout then Pierce and Wright contributed RBI singles. It was the fifth time this year the Eagles scored 20-plus runs and seventh time with 20-plus hits.
In addition to his two home runs, Parker also tied a SoCon record with 11 total bases and five runs scored. It was the second time this year Parker scored five runs, which also ties a GS single-game record. The senior matched a career-high of four hits and drove in five.
In all seven Eagles had a multi-hit game. Beckham tallied four RBI and Wirnsberger added three. Benedict matched a career-high of four runs scored and Porter also tied a SoCon Tournament record with seven at-bats. He finished with three hits and two runs scored.
Eubanks improved to 6-1 this year, charged for two runs on three hits in 2.2 innings. Tony Chisman (Conyers/Salem) and Burt Barto (Columbus/Columbus) each threw a scoreless inning to close the door. Kamppi ended the game charged for seven runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.
Wes McCall (1-8) suffered the loss. He allowed four runs on five hits in 1.1 innings. Three Spartans had two hits.
The fourth-seeded Eagles will face top-seed Elon Thursday night (May 22), first pitch tentatively scheduled for 8 p.m. ? the final game of day three.
