May 12, 2009

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

Around the Bases
Poythress scores game-winner in ninth for Georgia

USD scores seven in ninth at UCI, Mahtook homers for LSU vs. Centenary

In Atlanta, Rich Poythress (left) doubled and scored in the top of the ninth to snap a 5-5 tie and lead No. 19 Georgia past No. 8 Georgia Tech 7-5 Tuesday in front of 24,665 fans at Turner Field, the sixth-largest regular-season crowd in college baseball history and the second-largest crowd in the seven-year Spring Baseball Classic for Kids. Bryce Massanari drew an intentional walk after the one-out double by Poythress in the ninth for the Bulldogs (35-17). Lyle Allen had a base hit to plate Poythress and a throwing error on the play brought in pinch-runner Peter Verdin with an insurance run. Allen finished with three hits and two RBI, while Massanari and Matt Cerione both drove in two. Chase Burnette had a two-run single to cap a three-run seventh as the Yellow Jackets (33-13-1) tied it at 5.

San Diego 9, No. 1 UC Irvine 2

In Irvine, Calif., Bryan Haar’s three-run homer highlighted a seven-run ninth as USD topped UCI at Anteater Ballpark. Haar’s blast snapped a 2-2 tie, and Michael Lugo added a three-run pinch-hit double later in the frame for the Toreros (29-25). The Anteaters (37-12) scored twice in the eighth to tie it at 2. Chris Engell had four hits and Sean Nicol added three hits for USD. Eric Deragisch had two hits for UCI.

No. 2 LSU 12, Centenary 4

In Baton Rouge, La., Mikie Mahtook had a three-run homer and knocked in four as LSU topped Centenary at Alex Box Stadium. Leon Landry went 3 for 3 with two runs for the Tigers (39-14). Mahtook’s blast in the second gave LSU a 5-0 lead. Thomas Deering homered in a three-run fifth for the Gents (31-15) before the Tigers put the game away with a seven-run seventh.

No. 4 North Carolina 4, Charlotte 1

In Charlotte, N.C., Dustin Ackley went 2 for 3 with two RBI as UNC edged Charlotte at Hayes Stadium. Brian Moran (6-1) retired the nine batters he faced over three innings with six strikeouts. Greg Holt pitched the final 2.2 innings with one hit and two strikeouts for his first save. Ackley had a two-run single in the fifth to break a scoreless tie. Kyle Seager drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh to make it 3-0. Alan Parks had an RBI single in the bottom of the frame for the 49ers (30-19). Park and Rob Lyerly both had two hits for Charlotte. Levi Michael walked and scored an insurance run in the ninth for the Tar Heels (39-13).

No. 6 Rice 7, Louisiana-Lafayette 2

In Houston, Brock Holt had two hits and six RBI to lead Rice past ULL at Reckling Park. Holt had an RBI groundout in the third and his three-run homer in the fifth gave the Owls (34-13) a 4-1 lead. Holt added a two-run single in a three-run sixth. Matt Hicks had two hits and one RBI for the Ragin’ Cajuns (22-28-1). Jimmy Comerota had two hits and two runs for Rice. Jared Rogers (3-1) went 5.2 innings with four hits, one run, one walk and four strikeouts to earn the win. Matt Evers allowed two hits and one run over the final 3.1 innings with no walks and two strikeouts for his second save.

No. 10 Virginia 4, VCU 1

In Charlottesville, Va., Will Roberts allowed two hits in seven scoreless innings as Virginia got by VCU at Davenport Field. Roberts (4-0) struck out six. Kevin Arico pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save. Phillip Deane (2-5) went the distance for the Rams (20-23), allowing three hits and three earned runs with two walks and one strikeout. Phil Gosselin walked and scored on a hit-and-run single by Danny Hultzen in the first for the Cavaliers (38-10-1). Jarrett Parker singled in the third, stole second and scored on an error to give UVa a 2-0 lead. Dan Grovatt added an RBI single in the sixth and John Barr knocked in a run with a fielder’s choice in the seventh as the Cavs took a 4-0 lead. VCU got its run in the eighth. Matt Leskiw and Nate Furry had consecutive singles to start the inning and Leskiw scored on a double play.

No. 12 Florida 7, Jacksonville 4

In Gainesville, Fla., Mike Mooney belted a three-run homer in the fourth to break a 2-2 tie as Florida defeated Jacksonville at McKethan Stadium. Matt den Dekker went 3 for 4 with two doubles and two runs for the Gators (36-17). Chris Connelly had a two-run homer in the second for the Dolphins (33-18). Josh Adams homered in the fifth for UF.

No. 13 Alabama 8, Jacksonville State 4

In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Kent Matthes hit one of his team’s three home runs as Alabama topped Jacksonville State at Sewell-Thomas Stadium. Matthes had a two-run blast in the first, his 26th, to pull within one of the school record. Brandon May and Alex Kubal also went deep for the Crimson Tide (36-15). Andrew Edge homered twice for the Gamecocks (28-18).

No. 15 Clemson 5, College of Charleston 2

In Clemson, S.C., John Nester and Jason Stolz, the bottom two hitters in the lineup, combined to go 5 for 7 with four runs and two RBI as Clemson defeated College of Charleston in front of 4,597 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers (36-17) a 21-0 all-time against the Cougars (35-17), who had their 10-game win streak snapped. Jeff Schaus homered in the first for Clemson. Nester doubled in the third and scored on a groundout by Stolz to make it 2-0. Nester homered in the fifth before CofC scored a pair in the sixth. Nester and Stolz both singled and scored in the seventh to complete the scoring. Mike Hentz had two hits and a walk for the Cougars.

No. 16 Texas A&M 13, Texas State 4

In College Station, Texas, Brodie Greene had four hits, three runs and two RBI as Texas A&M topped Texas State in front of 3,881 fans at Olsen Field. The Aggies (34-18) scored 10 in the first three innings to take control. Keith Prestridge had a two-run homer in the first for the Bobcats (37-13). Joe Patterson pounded a grand slam in the bottom of the frame as A&M took the lead for good. Kyle Colligan had a two-run single and scored in the second as the Aggies took a 7-2 lead. Paul Goldschmidt went deep in the top of the third before Greene’s two-run dinger capped a three-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Prestridge and Goldschmidt both finished with two hits for Texas State.

No. 20 Arkansas 3, Oral Roberts 2

In Fayetteville, Ark., Scott Lyons had three hits, including a game-winning three-run double in the bottom of the ninth, as Arkansas nipped ORU at Baum Stadium. The Golden Eagles (26-13) scored twice in the fourth before the Razorbacks (32-17) rallied in the ninth. With one out, Brett Eibner and Collin Kuhn had base hits and Chase Leavitt was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Lyons ended the game with a bases-clearing double for Arkansas.

Pepperdine 8, No. 21 Cal Poly 4

In San Luis Obispo, Calif., R.W. Zeller had a three-run double in the ninth to help Pepperdine get past Cal Poly at Baggett Stadium. Denny Duron had a two-run homer in the fifth as the Waves (28-22) built a 5-0 lead. Bobby Crocker and Adam Buschini hit consecutive homers in the sixth and Buschini had a two-run double in the seventh as the Mustangs (33-16) pulled to within one. Brian Humphries and Miles Silverstein both had three hits and a run for the Waves.

No. 23 East Carolina 12, UNC Wilmington 5

In Wilmington, N.C., Ryan Wood hit for the cycle as ECU outscored UNCW at Brooks Field. Wood homered in the first, singled in the second, tripled in the fourth and doubled in the fifth. Wood had four runs and four RBI. Stephen Batts added three hits and two RBI for the Pirates (38-15). Matt Holt and Bobby Leeper both drove in two for the Seahawks (26-20).

No. 25 Elon 10, High Point 9

In Elon, N.C., Neal Pritchard and Chase Austin both homered twice as Elon nipped High Point. Pritchard’s second dinger broke a 7-7 tie in the eighth. Austin and Cory Harrilchak also went deep in the eighth. Eric Marion had a two-run single in the ninth for the Panthers (18-28). Thomas Girdwood got a strikeout to end the game with runners on the corners for his 15th save. Pritchard finished with three hits for the Phoenix (37-14). Marion had three hits and four RBI, while Billy Alvino added three hits and three RBI for High Point.

(photo by Jimmy Jones)