May 26, 2010

click here for complete list of scores

CBI Live: SoCon Game 1: #2 CofC 12, #7 ASU 11 (11)

CBI Live: SoCon Game 3: #1 The Citadel 9, #8 Furman 5

CBI Live: SoCon Game 4: #4 Elon 1, #5 Samford 0

CBI Live
Benedict pitches Western Carolina past Georgia Southern

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Pitching and defense won it.

Junior right-hander Matt Benedict allowed two runs in 7.2 innings and his defense played error-free behind him as sixth-seeded Western Carolina defeated third-seeded Georgia Southern 11-4 in the first round of the Southern Conference Tournament at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

The Catamounts (35-19-1) will face second-seeded College of Charleston Thursday evening, while the Eagles (34-23) face seventh-seeded Appalachian State at 9 a.m. in an elimination game.

A second-team all-SoCon selection, Benedict (9-1) bent but rarely broke. He scattered 10 hits, walked one (the final hitter he faced) and fanned seven. GSU stranded 10 in the contest.

Benedict was the first recruit signed by WCU head coach Bobby Moranda when he was named head coach in 2008. Benedict was still available in July, one month prior to the start of school. Moranda had seen Benedict as a camper at Georgia Tech while on staff there.

The Eagles got on the board first as Kyle Blackburn had a base hit to plate Shawn Payne in the bottom of the first. But it was all WCU after that.

The Catamounts dented home plate in each of the next six frames. Matt Johns had his 10th homer, a two-run shot, to cap a three-run fourth as WCU built a 6-1 lead. The Catamounts put up three more in the fifth to make a commanding 9-2.

Johns finished with two hits and two runs. Ninth-place hitter Dylan de Graaf went 3 for 4 with two runs and three RBI for WCU.

Blackburn went 4 for 5 with two RBI for the Eagles. Payne added two hits and two runs for GSU.

(photos courtesy of Southern Conference Media Relations Office)