?Play at the Plate Ends it as Eagles Take Series
3/23/2013 9:33:45 PM | Baseball
Box Score | Video: Post Game with Coach Hennon
STATESBORO, Ga. - Scooter Williams threw out the tying run at the plate as the Georgia Southern Eagles defeated the Davidson Wildcats in a pitcher's duel 3-2 to secure their third Southern Conference series win in as many attempts.
Jason Richman (4-1) bounced back from an eight run outing at Samford to allow just two runs – one earned – over 8.1 innings. Richman helped Georgia Southern (15-7, 7-1) extend their home winning streak to seven games after allowing just five hits and striking out eight. Matt McCall (3) picked up his third save of the season after allowing two hits and recording a strikeout.
“It was a well pitched game on both sides. Richman gave us a great effort. If Jason doesn't show up to pitch today, we have a hard time winning,” Head Coach Rodney Hennon said about the freshman lefthander's second career-quality start. “He struggled a little bit last week over at Samford and our offense picked him up. Today we struggled a little bit to score for him, and he really picked us up and had us in position to win the ball game.”
Davidson (8-13, 4-7) cut the Eagles two-run lead down to one after scoring a single run in the ninth inning with a two-out double from pinch hitter Ty Middlebrooks. With the tying run on base, Aaron Ruzinsky singled through the left side but an on-target throw by Williams and a good catch and tag by Chase Griffin recorded the final out at home plate.
“Scooter did a nice job of coming and getting the ball. He did a good job of getting his arm on top and making an accurate throw. Sometimes you see guys try to do too much with that throw. Chase did a nice job as well of not rushing on that play and making sure he had control of the ball before he went for the tag,” Hennon said about the play at the plate to end the game.
The eighth GSU win in the series by three runs or less, handed Danny Mooney (3-2) his second loss of the season. Mooney recorded a quality start but allowed the game-deciding two-run homer to Brent Pugh in the fourth inning. Mooney struck out eight and surrendered seven hits and three runs over 7.2 innings.
Georgia Southern struck first and led the entire ball game after Pugh drove in the first of his three runs with an infield single. T.D. Davis scored the run after leading off the inning with a double.
Stryker Brown singled with two outs in the fourth inning before Pugh hit his second career home run over the fence in centerfield to put the Eagles ahead 3-0. It was the first of two hits for Brown, who finished with a walk and a run scored.
Davidson scratched across their first run of the contest in the sixth inning. Andrew Barna recorded a two-out single to score David Daniels, who reached on an error. Richman retired five-straight batters after the base hit and worked around a double and a walk to record a scoreless eighth frame.
The three-game series against Davidson concludes tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. It will be Junior Eagle Club Sunday Funday at the ball park. Nick's Inflatables will be on hand and all Junior Eagle Club members can run the bases after the game.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.
