Blackburn Homers Twice, Eagles Fall in Regular Season Finale
5/22/2010 10:08:00 PM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. – Senior Kyle Blackburn took the ball deep twice in the final regular season contest of 2010, but Georgia Southern fell 5-2 to The Citadel Saturday afternoon (May 22) at J.I. Clements Stadium. It was only the second series sweep for the Bulldogs over the Eagles, who dropped to 34-22 this season and 19-11 in Southern Conference play. The Citadel finished the regular season, 38-30 and 24-6.
Both starters were of record in the contest with Michael Clevinger credited with the win. Clevinger threw six innings, allowing only one run on five hits. The Citadel used two relief pitchers to close the game with Drew Mahaffey picking up his seventh save.
Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) was charged with the loss after seven innings of work. Murray logged seven innings of work, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) and Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) both posted two hits apiece. Nick Orvin was 3-for-5 and Justin Mackert was 2-for-3 with a home run.
Both starters came out on top of their games as both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings. The Citadel took a 3-0 lead in the fourth putting together its first run on a Brad Felder single and Matt Simonelli double to right. A Bryan Altman sacrifice fly drove Simonelli in for the second run before Mackert homered for the third time this series.
Blackburn made his last home game at J.I. Clements Stadium memorable with his first home run coming as a solo shot in the fourth to right center. Blackburn cut the score to 3-1 with the home run.
The Bulldogs pushed a run across in the sixth using two singles from Orvin and Altman. Another Bulldog run in the eighth made the score 5-1. The Citadel loaded the bases on an Eagle error, single and base on balls. Colin Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.), who entered in the top of the frame, recorded the second out forcing Altman to foul out to the catcher, but hit Mackert in the next at-bat, allowing William Ladd to score, unearned.
Blackburn's second home run occurred in the home half of the eighth. The senior drove a 2-2 pitch to deep right field for a 5-2 ballgame.
Dexter Bobo (Cumming, Ga.) entered in the ninth and quickly picked up two outs with a runner caught stealing at second. Bobo ended a two out threat from The Citadel striking out Felder.
Georgia Southern put two on in the bottom of the ninth and with two outs, Blackburn approached the plate. The senior drove a ball to deep left field, but came up a foot shy of tying the game as Ladd caught it at the wall for the final out of the contest.
With the regular season concluded, Georgia Southern has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament to be played, May 26-30 in Charleston, S.C. The Eagles will face No. 6 Western Carolina at 1 p.m. at Riley Park.
Both starters were of record in the contest with Michael Clevinger credited with the win. Clevinger threw six innings, allowing only one run on five hits. The Citadel used two relief pitchers to close the game with Drew Mahaffey picking up his seventh save.
Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) was charged with the loss after seven innings of work. Murray logged seven innings of work, allowing four runs on seven hits.
Blackburn (Marietta, Ga.) and Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) both posted two hits apiece. Nick Orvin was 3-for-5 and Justin Mackert was 2-for-3 with a home run.
Both starters came out on top of their games as both teams were held scoreless through the first three innings. The Citadel took a 3-0 lead in the fourth putting together its first run on a Brad Felder single and Matt Simonelli double to right. A Bryan Altman sacrifice fly drove Simonelli in for the second run before Mackert homered for the third time this series.
Blackburn made his last home game at J.I. Clements Stadium memorable with his first home run coming as a solo shot in the fourth to right center. Blackburn cut the score to 3-1 with the home run.
The Bulldogs pushed a run across in the sixth using two singles from Orvin and Altman. Another Bulldog run in the eighth made the score 5-1. The Citadel loaded the bases on an Eagle error, single and base on balls. Colin Snow (Alpharetta, Ga.), who entered in the top of the frame, recorded the second out forcing Altman to foul out to the catcher, but hit Mackert in the next at-bat, allowing William Ladd to score, unearned.
Blackburn's second home run occurred in the home half of the eighth. The senior drove a 2-2 pitch to deep right field for a 5-2 ballgame.
Dexter Bobo (Cumming, Ga.) entered in the ninth and quickly picked up two outs with a runner caught stealing at second. Bobo ended a two out threat from The Citadel striking out Felder.
Georgia Southern put two on in the bottom of the ninth and with two outs, Blackburn approached the plate. The senior drove a ball to deep left field, but came up a foot shy of tying the game as Ladd caught it at the wall for the final out of the contest.
With the regular season concluded, Georgia Southern has earned the No. 3 seed in the Southern Conference Tournament to be played, May 26-30 in Charleston, S.C. The Eagles will face No. 6 Western Carolina at 1 p.m. at Riley Park.
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