Four-Run Inning, McCall Helps Eagles Even Series
3/2/2013 11:27:07 PM | Baseball
Box Score | Video: Post Game with Coach Hennon | Photo Album
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern scored four in the fifth inning, and Matt McCall allowed one run over the final four innings as the Eagles evened the Xavier series with a 7-5 win on Saturday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Georgia Southern (5-5) starter Jason Richman (2-1) worked around eight hits and three walks but kept his team in the game. The freshman lefthander picked up his second win of the season after allowing four runs over five innings.
“Jason did a nice job for us. He hurt himself a little bit at times today with the base on balls, but I thought he competed well for us and had us in position to win the game,” Head Coach Rodney Hennon said.
Richman stranded two runners in the first inning after giving up back-to-back hits to lead off the frame. He would again strand the leadoff batter in the fourth inning and again in the fifth before walking the bases loaded and allowing a run on a sacrifice fly by Joe Forney.
McCall tossed the final four innings for his first career save. The junior transfer from Mercer held the Musketeers hitless over the final three innings and retired the side in order in the ninth inning. McCall allowed one run on two hits in the sixth inning.
“I thought our guys really battled hard. We had to grind one out today,” Hennon said. “I thought Matt McCall really picked us up. He was really sharp and for him to finish that game off was big for our team.”
Alex Westrick (1-1) was tagged with the loss for Xavier (3-5) after surrendering four runs over the final three innings. Westrick inherited a bases-loaded jam from starter Vinny Nittoli in the fourth inning but was able to escape unscathed after recording a pair of strikeouts and a fly out. The sophomore lefthander finished with six strikeouts.
Georgia Southern finished with eight hits and drew eight walks to win their fifth game of the season. T.D. Davis and Scooter Williams recorded two hits each, and Davis tallied a pair of RBIs on a fifth inning single.
The Eagles opened the game by scoring a first inning run for the ninth time in 10 games this season. Robbie Dodds drove in Ben Morgan, who doubled in the inning and later walked twice, for the game's first run with a bases-loaded hit by pitch; and Stryker Brown plated a second run with a sacrifice fly.
After Xavier took a 3-1 lead in the top of third inning, Georgia Southern tied the game in the bottom half of the frame on a sacrifice fly from Brent Pugh. Chase Griffin, who walked twice and was hit by a pitch, led off the inning with a walk and scored the tying run.
The Eagles added four runs in the fifth inning to take the final lead of the ballgame. Kyle Streicher started the two-out rally with a base hit, and Cole Watson followed with a walk. After Scooter Williams was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Morgan drew a walk to score the first run of the inning. Griffin plated a second run after he was hit by a pitch, and Davis drove in the final two runs with a base hit to left field.
Georgia Southern concludes a three-game weekend series against Xavier Sunday. First pitch at J.I. Clements Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m. It will be golf appreciation day at the ballpark, and tickets are available online at gseagles.com or by calling the Georgia Southern Ticket Office at 1-800-GSU-WINS.
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