Coppin State drops 8-4 setback to Winthrop
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Coppin State sophomore John Kraft was a man on fire during an 8-4 setback to Winthrop University on the second day of the Coca-Cola Challenge at Winthrop Ballpark.
Kraft blasted a pair of triples and walked to lead the Eagles offense Saturday afternoon. He also drove in a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning to help the Eagles put together a rally from a six-run deficit that ultimately fell short. He has hits in both
Coppin State (0-2 overall) displayed plenty of heart and resilience in continuing to battle through all 27 outs and throwing a scare into Winthrop (3-1).
Overall, the Eagles finished with six hits and swung the bats much better Saturday afternoon. Four of the Eagles hits went for extra bases. Hamlett also contributed a double for Coppin State (0-2). Junior Ian Arciaga had a hit for the second straight game with a ringing double in the second inning. Also joining the Eagles hit parade was sophomore Darien Percell.
The Eagles had runners on base in six of the nine innings. Sophomore pitcher Will Grebenstein struck out three batters in five innings on the hill for the Eagles.
Coppin State will spend plenty of quality time outside on Sunday as it concludes the Coca-Cola Classic with a game against Kent State at 11 a.m. and Winthrop at 3 p.m.
For complete story, visit www.coppinstatesports.com
Bethune-Cookman Hits Big Early to Move Past Florida Gulf Coast, 3-2
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (2-3) got to hitting early in Saturday’s game against Florida Gulf Coast (4-3), building up an early lead behind strong pitching by starter John Sever, holding off a final push by the Eagles in the 3-2 victory at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
Senior second baseman Matt Noble got Bethune-Cookman started in Saturday’s game two of the series, with a shot straight down the third base line for a double in the bottom of the second inning. Shortstop Shaun McCarty followed up with an RBI single into the first base pocket, and Noble safely beat the throw home, scoring from second.
Facing two outs in the fifth, right fielder Josh Johnson powered a single into the right center gap, setting up a big inning for the Wildcats. First baseman Eric Sams reached on an FGCU infield error, and Eros Modena made the scoring position count, bringing Johnson home on an RBI single to center field. Sams beat the throw at the plate to score one pitch later on a double steal, granting the Wildcats a 3-0 advantage.
With another quality appearance for the junior transfer, Sever pitched 6.1 innings with a season-high nine strikeouts and just one walk.
Facing Chris Waltermire in relief, the Eagles registered one run in the top of the seventh off two hits in the frame, stranding one runner.
Sever (1-0) earned his first career victory, while FGCU starter Nick Deckert (1-1) took the loss for the Eagles. The three Wildcats pitchers pounded the strike zone all afternoon, logging a 74 percent strike percentage.
Noble was joined by Johnson and Julian Santos in pacing the Wildcats at the plate, which logged a season-high 10 team hits. Each batted 2-for-4 in the non-conference contest. McCarty and Modena each tallied RBI.
With the series split at 1-1, the series finale payoff game is on the slate on 11 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 23) at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.
For complete story, visit www.bcuathletics.com
North Carolina Central splits doubleheader with Niagara
DURHAM, N.C. – North Carolina Central University rallied late in game two to capture a 5-3 win over Niagara University, splitting Saturday’s baseball doubleheader inside historic Durham Athletic Park.
The host Eagles scored three runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead, then plated an insurance run in the sixth for their first win of the 2014 season.
NCCU senior shortstop Zack Lee and senior third baseman Tyson Simpson had huge offensive performances on Saturday. In the doubleheader, Lee went 4-for-6 at the dish with an RBI double, a triple and five runs scored, while also reaching base three times via a hit-by-pitch. Simpson hit 3-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and a run scored. NCCU rookie outfielder Bryant Battle also contributed three hits with a double, three RBI and a run scored during Saturday’s twinbill.
NCCU junior pitcher Kyle Shields pitched two scoreless innings, including getting out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the final frame, to earn the save. Junior Eric Kimber closed out the top of the fifth inning before getting replaced by Shields to earn the win for the Eagles.
In Saturday’s opener, NCCU scored twice in the first inning and three times in the second to jump out to a 5-2 lead.
Niagara plated two runs in each of the next two innings to go ahead 6-5 in the fourth.
NCCU tied the game in the sixth inning when Simpson doubled home Lee, who opened the Eagles’ at-bat with a triple.
Niagara regained the lead in extra innings by scoring two unearned runs thanks to two NCCU errors.
The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the inning by loading the bases with one out. However, the threat ended when Carter Williamson flew out to right field and Carlos Ortiz got caught too far off second base for a double-play to end the game 8-7 in favor of Niagara.
NCCU (1-3-1) and Niagara (2-4) close out the four-game weekend series on Sunday at 12 noon at the Durham Athletic Park. Admission is free.
For complete story, visit www.nccueaglepride.com
Spartans Rally in 10th for 5-4 Win over Quinnipiac
NORFOLK, Va. – After yielding the go-ahead runs in the top of the 10th, host Norfolk State rallied with three in the bottom of the frame to pull off a 5-4 win over Quinnipiac in Saturday’s final game of the Spartan Baseball Classic.
Zach Markel tied the game with a two-out RBI single, then scored the winning run on the Bobcats’ second error of the inning and fifth of the game to give the Spartans (1-4) their first win of the year.
With the game tied 2-2 heading into extras, Quinnipiac took advantage of four walks, two with the bases loaded, to claim a 4-2 lead.
But NSU bounced back in the bottom of the frame. Freshman third baseman Justin Burrell doubled to lead off the inning off Bobcats’ reliever Joseph Scaglione. One batter later, he scored on a single by Justin Lee to cut the deficit in half. After Killian Strenn struck out, Lee advanced to second on a wild pitch. Markel then lined a 2-2 pitch from Scaglione into center field, scoring Lee to knot the game at 4-all.
Cameron Day then walked and Ross Cardwell reached on a throwing error by Quinnipiac to load the bases. Denathan Dukes then grounded one to short and the Bobcats mishandled it, allowing Markel to score the winning run.
The wild 10th inning capped a back-and-forth game.
Lee went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Markel scored a pair of runs.
Donaghue went 2-for-3 for Quinnipiac.
Vales (1-1) got his first win for NSU, while Scaglione (1.2 innings, three runs allowed) took the loss for the Bobcats.
For complete story, visit www.nsuspartans.com
Rattlers split wild twinbill with Jackson State
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – FAMU and Jackson State squared off in a baseball doubleheader at Moore-Kittles Field Saturday, an extraordinary twinbill as it turned out with both games going into extra innings. FAMU won the opener in 13 innings, 7-6, before JSU rallied to win the nightcap, 8-6 in 11 innings.
The Rattlers (3-4) won the opener, in the bottom of the 13th, when Jared Walker scored from third on a throwing error by Tiger second baseman Stephen Curtis, when he attempted to get a force out at second on a grounder by Bennie Robinson.
The speedy Walker led off with a bunt single down the first base line, beating the pitcher and first baseman to the bag. He then stole second, followed by a single from Marlon Gibbs, which sent Walker to third. Robinson followed with a hard hit grounder to second, which Curtis fielded and threw to second attempting to force Gibbs, but his throw was wide of the bag, allowing Walker to score.
FAMU outhit Jackson State, 16-11 in the opener led by Gibbs and Kendal Weeks with three hits each, with two hits apiece coming from Walker, Blake Quillan, Michael Birdsong and Ryan Kennedy. Quillan and Walker each drove in two runs.
Jackson was paced by Bryce Taylor with three hits, followed by Tilur Smith, Melvin Rodriguez and Fred Hampton with two hits apiece.
The Tigers (5-2) got their revenge in the nightcap, as they scored two runs in the top of the 11th on two hits to break a 6-6 tie.
JSU’s Nick Marigny, who reached on a leadoff single, advanced to second on Desmond Russell’s bunt single, later scoring the lead run from third on a Jeremy Barlow throwing error, as the FAMU catcher tried to throw Marigny out attempting to steal third, and the ball went into left field. Russell later added another run, scoring from third on Tilur Smith’s sacrifice fly to center for the 8-6 final.
Desmond Russell led the Tigers with five hits and three runs scored, while Bryce Taylor drove in three runs on two hits for Jackson State.
Russell (1-1) got the win in relief for the Tigers, striking out five and allowing one run on two hits in three and two-thirds innings of work. Javon Johnakin (0-1) took the loss in relief for FAMU, working the final two innings of the game, striking out three and allowing two hits, but yielding the two critical runs in the 11th.
For complete story, visit www.famuathletics.com
UMES Swept In Saturday Doubleheader By Eagles
STATESBORO, Ga. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore baseball team was swept in a doubleheader on Saturday as the Hawks fell 9-3 in game one, before dropping a 10-1 decision to the Eagles in the nightcap. The Hawks have now lost their first three games of the series and are now 0-4 on the year.
Justin Dattilo led the Hawks in the first game with a 1-for-4 performance with two RBI, while Byron Campbell had one RBI and senior Jeffrey Fleetwood had one hit. Junior Chipper Smith threw well in his first start of the year as aside from GSU's four-run first, he limited the team to just two earned over the next four innings. Sophomore Jordan Bone struck out four and allowed just one hit in three innings of relief.
In the second game, the Hawks fell behind by six runs after one inning of play and were never able to recover. UMES threatened in the bottom of the ninth with runners at second and third with no outs, but Ga. Southern reliever Patrick Riley did damage control as he limited the Hawks to just one run.
Stephen Bull was 3-for-4 in game two with a walk, while Mike Escanilla had two hits and four others logged one. UMES had nine hits altogether in the nightcap.
Philip Berry was tagged with the loss in game two after allowing seven runs (five earned) in five innings. The freshman gave up seven hits, while striking out three and walking three. Freshman Kameron Raison threw a scoreless eighth in his collegiate debut.
Josh Wirsu took the victory for Georgia Southern in game one with five innings of shutout ball. The team threw five hitters in the nightcap and allowed just nine hits and one run.
UMES concludes the series with a single game on Sunday, Feb. 23 as the Hawks will engage in action with the Eagles at 1:30 pm.
For complete story, visit www.umeshawks.com