Hess, Payne Send Eagles Past Ospreys, 3-2
3/31/2010 1:10:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern's Justin Hess took a no-hitter into the ninth inning as the Eagles ran their winning streak to four games with a 3-2 victory over North Florida on Tuesday (March 30) at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Trailing 2-0, the Ospreys broke up the no-hitter and scored two runs with one out in the top of the ninth before Georgia Southern (15-11) won the game on a fielder's choice by Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) with one out in the bottom of the inning.
Hess (Panama City, Fla.) allowed two earned runs on two hits with six strikeouts and four walks. He set North Florida (14-13) down in order in the first, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
Aided by two Eagle errors, the Ospreys put runners into scoring position in the second, third and seventh innings, but Hess worked his way out of trouble each time.
Georgia Southern scored its first run in the bottom of the first. After Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) doubled with two out, A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) followed with an RBI single past the third baseman, plating Blackburn for the 1-0 lead.
But that would be the only earned run the Eagles would muster against North Florida starter John Atteo. He worked 7.1 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
In the top of the third, the Ospreys used two walks and an error to load the bases, but Hess got the next two batters on a line drive to the first baseman and a fly ball to right field. Georgia Southern turned a double play to end the fourth inning, and that started a streak in which Hess retired 14 of 15 batters.
The Eagles scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth. Payne led off with a single and was safe at second when the third baseman committed a throwing error on Roman Grimaldi's (Duluth, Ga.) groundball. After moving to third on a Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) walk, Payne scored when the center fielder dropped Blackburn's fly ball to short right-center for a 2-0 advantage.
Hess retired the first batter he faced in the top of the ninth, but North Florida's Andrew Karmeris ended the no-hitter when he singled sharply to center field. Justin Preckajlo followed with a single that moved Karmeris to second base, and Colin Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.) came on to relieve Hess, who received an ovation from the crowd of 1,615 fans.
The Ospreys' Kevin Martin greeted Snow with a two-run double into the right field corner that tied the score, 2-2. After walking Robbie Collier, Snow fielded a comebacker and threw to third base to force Martin for the second out. The inning ended when the next batter grounded out to the second baseman.
In the bottom of the ninth, Steve Cochrane (Mooresville, N.C.) drew a walk from North Florida reliever Kris Linster and was replaced by pinch-runner Al Williams (Detroit, Mich.). Casey Medlen relieved Linster and committed a balk that sent Williams to second base. After Williams advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.), Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) was intentionally walked to set up a potential inning-ending double play.
But Payne followed with a slow groundball to the second baseman that allowed Williams to score from third and give Georgia Southern the win.
Snow (1-1) was credited with the win. He worked 0.2 innings, giving up no runs on one hit with no strikeouts and one walk.
Linster (0-1) was charged with the loss. In 0.2 innings, he gave up one earned run on no hits with no strikeouts and one walk.
The Eagles will play their next six games on the road against Southern Conference opponents. They will visit the College of Charleston on April 2-4 and Elon on April 9-11.
Georgia Southern will return home to play Jacksonville on April 13 at 7 p.m.
Trailing 2-0, the Ospreys broke up the no-hitter and scored two runs with one out in the top of the ninth before Georgia Southern (15-11) won the game on a fielder's choice by Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) with one out in the bottom of the inning.
Hess (Panama City, Fla.) allowed two earned runs on two hits with six strikeouts and four walks. He set North Florida (14-13) down in order in the first, fifth, sixth and eighth innings.
Aided by two Eagle errors, the Ospreys put runners into scoring position in the second, third and seventh innings, but Hess worked his way out of trouble each time.
Georgia Southern scored its first run in the bottom of the first. After Kyle Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) doubled with two out, A.J. Wirnsberger (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) followed with an RBI single past the third baseman, plating Blackburn for the 1-0 lead.
But that would be the only earned run the Eagles would muster against North Florida starter John Atteo. He worked 7.1 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
In the top of the third, the Ospreys used two walks and an error to load the bases, but Hess got the next two batters on a line drive to the first baseman and a fly ball to right field. Georgia Southern turned a double play to end the fourth inning, and that started a streak in which Hess retired 14 of 15 batters.
The Eagles scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth. Payne led off with a single and was safe at second when the third baseman committed a throwing error on Roman Grimaldi's (Duluth, Ga.) groundball. After moving to third on a Kevin Bowles (Statesboro, Ga.) walk, Payne scored when the center fielder dropped Blackburn's fly ball to short right-center for a 2-0 advantage.
Hess retired the first batter he faced in the top of the ninth, but North Florida's Andrew Karmeris ended the no-hitter when he singled sharply to center field. Justin Preckajlo followed with a single that moved Karmeris to second base, and Colin Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.) came on to relieve Hess, who received an ovation from the crowd of 1,615 fans.
The Ospreys' Kevin Martin greeted Snow with a two-run double into the right field corner that tied the score, 2-2. After walking Robbie Collier, Snow fielded a comebacker and threw to third base to force Martin for the second out. The inning ended when the next batter grounded out to the second baseman.
In the bottom of the ninth, Steve Cochrane (Mooresville, N.C.) drew a walk from North Florida reliever Kris Linster and was replaced by pinch-runner Al Williams (Detroit, Mich.). Casey Medlen relieved Linster and committed a balk that sent Williams to second base. After Williams advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.), Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) was intentionally walked to set up a potential inning-ending double play.
But Payne followed with a slow groundball to the second baseman that allowed Williams to score from third and give Georgia Southern the win.
Snow (1-1) was credited with the win. He worked 0.2 innings, giving up no runs on one hit with no strikeouts and one walk.
Linster (0-1) was charged with the loss. In 0.2 innings, he gave up one earned run on no hits with no strikeouts and one walk.
The Eagles will play their next six games on the road against Southern Conference opponents. They will visit the College of Charleston on April 2-4 and Elon on April 9-11.
Georgia Southern will return home to play Jacksonville on April 13 at 7 p.m.
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