Baseball Scores Four Unanswered to Open Series with 4-3 Win
4/2/2011 3:08:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - The Georgia Southern Baseball team (16-11, 7-3) responded to an early Citadel (10-16, 5-8) lead and scored four-straight runs over the middle innings to take the series opener 4-3 on Friday, April 1st. Both starting pitchers fared well, but errors cost both sides as three unearned runs crossed the plate. The win was just the second for the Eagles against the Bulldogs in the last three years.
Georgia Southern had the leadoff batter reach three times in the game and all three came around to score a run. The Eagles scored all four of their runs in the middle innings, with two coming in the fourth and a single run in the fifth and sixth innings to take a 4-2 lead. Victor Roache (Ypsilanti, Mich.) singled to right field to lead off the sixth inning and scored what would be the winning run on a two-out double by Tom Richardson (Lilburn, Ga.).
Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) earned his fourth win of the season in his first career appearance against The Citadel. Beck allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits and struck out four batters over 102 pitches. Outside of the two-out rally in the fourth, he kept the Bulldogs in check, allowing just one leadoff batter in the game.
Matt Murray (Spring City, Pa.) earned his fourth save of the season after recording the last six outs in the game. He struck out two batters and allowed just one hit in the seven batters he faced. The Citadel's Matt Talley recorded a solid effort but was tagged with his third loss. Talley allowed only two earned runs on eight hits, while striking out six batters.
The Citadel took an early 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the fourth inning. The Bulldogs used three hits and a walk to plate a pair of runs on a base hit from Justin Mackert. Georgia Southern tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning on two doubles, a single and an error. Ben Morgan (Evans, Ga.), who moved up to second in the lineup, doubled to start the inning and scored the first run on a Roache one-out single. Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) followed with a double and a bad fielding effort by the Bulldog left fielder allowed Roache to score with ease.
Georgia Southern scored an unearned run in the fifth inning after Andy Moye (Alpharetta, Ga.) walked to lead off the inning. Shawn Payne (Stone Mountain, Ga.) singled with one out to move Moye to second base before a throwing error sailed out of play on an attempted double play to force the run across the plate.
Morgan and Roache both responded to the change in the batting order and wrapped up the day with multi-hit games. Roache moved into the cleanup spot in the order after Morgan hit second and Burruss fifth in the new-look lineup.
The same two teams will be back in action tomorrow afternoon and Head Football Coach Jeff Monken will throw out the first pitch before Saturday's 2:30 p.m. contest. The annual Clements Crazies Tailgate will take place before the game, and it will also be a GSU Spring Family Weekend. The series wraps up on Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. first pitch.
To order baseball tickets for upcoming games call the Georgia Southern Athletic Ticket Office at 800-GSU-WINS. Single games tickets are available at the gate for $8 for adults and $4 for youth (3-12).
Georgia Southern Baseball games can be heard live on Eagle 102.9 FM and are also available online at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/Eaglevision with broadcasts beginning 30 minutes prior to first pitch. Ryan Chambers of the Georgia Southern Radio Network will call all the action.
Fans may follow Georgia Southern Baseball by visiting GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/baseball or check in at twitter.com/GSAthletics or facebook.com/GSAthletics for short updates.
