Beck's Career Night Helps Eagles to Series-Opening Win
3/31/2012 1:55:00 AM | Baseball
STATESBORO, Ga. - A career night from Chris Beck (Jefferson, Ga.) and a shutdown performance from the bullpen helped make an early 3-0 lead stand in a series-opening win over the top team in the Southern Conference. The junior pitcher tallied 16 strikeouts, two short of the school record set by Ray Mims in 1959 and four short of the SoCon mark, in a 4-2 win over the College of Charleston on Friday night.
Georgia Southern's (13-14, 4-6) Kyle Rowe (Valdosta, Ga.) (S, 1) and lefties Drew Johnson (Peachtree City, Ga.) and Jarret Leverett (Eatonton, Ga.) helped secure just the Eagles' second win in 11 tries when scoring five runs or less. The bullpen combined to allow just one hit and no runs over three innings. Beck (3-2) tossed six frames and allowed two runs on seven hits for the win while walking just two batters. He was limited by his pitch count after throwing a career-high 126 pitches.
The College of Charleston (20-7, 10-3) got a quality outing from Josh Renfro (4-2), but he was handed the loss after allowing three first-inning runs. Renfro went six innings as well and struck out seven batters to just one walk. Nick Osterman tossed the remaining two innings and allowed a run on a hit and three walks.
After Beck left two runners stranded in scoring position in the top of the first inning, Georgia Southern cashed in for three runs on four hits. Eric Phillips (Carrollton, Ga.) plated the first run of the game with a double to right-center field and scored the third run of the inning after Hunter Thomas (Johns Creek, Ga.) beat out an infield base hit to the left side. Before the two-out hit from the freshman, Tyler Avera (Baxley, Ga.) drove in Michael Burruss (Marietta, Ga.) with a bases-loaded single to center field.
The Eagles picked up an insurance run in the seventh inning after Chase Griffin (Leesburg, Ga.) grounded into a bases-loaded double play. Scooter Williams (Detroit, Mich.) and Phillips both walked in the frame to load the bases after Burruss beat out a bouncing ball to shortstop. Griffin rolled into a standard double play, but it was enough to get the run in from third base.
The Cougars got the offense back on track after having 11 of 12 batters set down after a first inning walk of Brandon Murray. Beck struck out 10 of the first 14 batters he faced before allowing a two-out walk to reach base in the fourth inning. Back-to-back singles by Cody Martin and Gunnar Heidt drove in the free pass to Rob Harding for the College of Charleston's first run of the game.
Brandon Murray added a second run in the fifth inning with a solo shot off the batter's eye in center field to pull the Cougars within a run, 3-2. Murray had one of just three extra-base hits for the Cougars, who finished with just eight base knocks.
The three-game series continues tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. with Justin Hess (Panama City, Fla.) (1-0, 7.59) on the mound in his return to the starting rotation. Hess will square off against one of the best in the SoCon in College of Charleston's Christian Powell (4-1, 1.34).
The game can also be heard on the Boomer 103.7 FM and inside the stadium on 88.1 FM. Audio for all games is also available on the web and subscription video is available for all home games at GeorgiaSouthernEagles.com/Eaglevision.
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