March 17, 2010

Rankings are from CBI Composite Poll

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Around the Bases
Five pitchers allow four hits as Virginia wins at JMU

Arizona State rallies past Fullerton, Gaudet belts three-run homer for LSU

In Harrisonburg, Va., Branden Kline and four relievers limited James Madison to four hits as top-ranked Virginia claimed the 6-3 victory Wednesday in front of a Dukes’ record home crowd of 1,815 at Veterans Memorial Park. Kline (1-0) pitched into the sixth and allowed two hits and two runs, one earned, with three walks and three strikeouts. Kevin Arico pitched the ninth for his sixth save. John Hicks (right) doubled and scored in the second for the Cavaliers (14-3). John Barr scored on a passed ball in the fourth to give Virginia a 2-0 advantage. Trevor Knight had an RBI single in the fifth for the Dukes (5-9). Kenny Swab homered in the top of the sixth to give the Cavs a 3-1 lead. Matt Browning had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame as JMU pulled to within one. Hicks walked and scored in the seventh as UVa went up 4-2. Brett Garner doubled and scored on a two-base hit by McKinnon Langston in the bottom of the seventh to make it 4-3. Virginia added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth. Hicks and Tyler Cannon both had two hits for the Cavs. Leadoff hitter Phil Gosselin drew five of the 12 walks for Virginia and was hit by a pitch.

No. 2 Arizona State 8, Cal State Fullerton 6

In Fullerton, Calif., Andrew Aplin’s two-run triple keyed a five-run eighth as Arizona State swept a two-game series against Cal State Fullerton at Goodwin Field. The Titans (7-9) got a two-run single by Gary Brown and a two-run double by Nick Ramirez in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-3 lead. Raoul Torrez and Austin Barnes had RBI singles in the eighth to tie the game. Aplin’s triple brought in two to give the Sun Devils (17-0) a 7-5 lead. Drew Maggi’s run-scoring single plated Aplin to make it 8-5. Fullerton added one in the ninth, but fell two runs short. Maggi finished with four hits for ASU.

No. 5 LSU 10, Nicholls State 3

In Baton Rouge, La., Matt Gaudet had two hits, including a three-run homer, to lead LSU past Nicholls State at Alex Box Stadium. It was career win No. 1,012 for head coach Paul Mainieri, matching the total of his father, Demie Mainieri, at Miami-Dade North Community College. Keith Kulbeth (2 for 4, 2 R) went deep in the first for the Colonels (11-5). Leon Landry (2 for 3, 2 R) homered in the second to knot the score at one. After Nicholls got a run in the top of the fourth, Gaudet’s three-run shot capped a four-run rally in the bottom of the stanza for a 5-2 advantage for the Tigers (14-2). Adam Miley homered in the ninth for the Colonels.

No. 9 Clemson 22, Georgia Southern 6

In Clemson, S.C., Clemson belted four homers in an eight-run first in outscoring Georgia Southern at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tigers (14-2) had nine doubles, one triple and six homers among their 21 hits. Jeff Schaus led the home team, going 3 for 5 with two homers, three runs and six RBI. Kyle Parker added three hits, including a home run. A.J. Wirnsberger and Cochrane Phillips both had two hits for the Eagles (9-9).

No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 9, Fordham 8

In Coral Gables, Fla., Miami scored five in the seventh and one in the ninth to rally past Fordham at Alex Rodriguez Park to split their two-game series. Frankie Ratcliff (2 for 5, 3 R) scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the Hurricanes (11-5). Angelo Ponte’s two-run double highlighted a five-run seventh as the Rams (4-11) took an 8-3 lead. Stephen Perez had an RBI double to cap the five-run rally in the bottom of the frame for Miami. Harold Martinez had two hits and three RBI for the ‘Canes. Mike Mobbs had two hits, two runs and one RBI for Fordham.

No. 16 Oklahoma 8, Massachusetts 4

In Norman, Okla., Casey Johnson homered in a three-run seventh as Oklahoma rallied past Massachusetts at L. Dale Mitchell Park. Johnson’s two-run homer with two outs in the seventh gave the Sooners (17-2) a 5-4 lead. OU added three insurance runs in the eighth. Caleb Bushyhead and Ross Hubbard both had two hits for the Sooners. Cameron McMullen and Mike Donato both had two hits and a run for the Minutemen (0-6).

No. 17 Vanderbilt 17, Western Kentucky 6

In Bowling Green, Ky., Aaron Westlake had an RBI double and a two-run triple in a nine-run first as Vanderbilt rolled past Western Kentucky at Nick Denes Field. Westlake added an RBI double in the ninth, giving him three hits and four RBI. Jason Esposito (3 for 6, 3 R, 3 RBI) homered in the second for the Commodores (15-2). Bryan Johns had three hits and three runs for Vandy. Kes Carter had two hits, including a home run, and two RBI for the Hilltoppers (13-5).

No. 18 North Carolina 12, Princeton 5

In Chapel Hill, N.C., Dillon Hazlett had two hits and four RBI to lead North Carolina past Princeton at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (14-4) scored three in the first before Alex Fink’s sacrifice fly in the second for the Tigers (1-8). Hazlett had a sacrifice fly in a three-run third as UNC took a 6-1 lead. John Mishu’s two-run homer sparked a three-run fourth as the Tigers pulled to within two. Hazlett drove in a run in a three-run fourth and added a two-run double in a three-run sixth.

(photo by Jimmy Jones)