Sunday, March 18, 2007

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (Mar. 18, 2007) - Freshman catcher Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) hit his first career home run, a three-run ninth inning blast to left field, as the Bucs rallied from five runs down Sunday afternoon, completing a three-game sweep of Atlantic Sun Conference foe Gardner-Webb at Varsity Field, 10-8

Trailing 8-5 entering the final frame, senior Michael Courtney (Knoxville, Tenn.) started the rally with a one out single to left field.  Freshman Justin Tramble (Marietta, Ga.) followed with his first career triple, a liner into the right field corner, cutting the lead to 8-6.  Freshman Ryan Self (Mount Juliet, Tenn.) singled to right to pull the Bucs within one, and junior Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) drew a walk to bring Petro to the plate.  Petro hammered Nate MacDonald's 1-1 offering well over the left field wall, giving the Bucs their first lead of the day.

The Bulldogs (10-14, 0-3) took the first inning lead, stringing together three consecutive seeing-eye singles off ETSU starter Caleb Glafenhein (Knoxville, Tenn.) to open the frame for a 1-0 advantage.  Gardner-Webb expanded the advantage to 3-0 with an RBI groundout by third baseman Justin Loyd and an RBI single from shortstop Josh Drewery.

Trailing 4-0 entering the sixth, the Bucs (15-7, 3-0) scored three times, cutting the lead to one.  Self started the rally with a bases loaded sacrifice fly, scoring sophomore Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.).  A passed ball brought home Courtney and senior C.J. Lee (Bristol, Va.) singled to left field, plating Tramble.

Gardner-Webb restored its lead in the bottom of the inning with a series of singles, bunts and stolen bases.  Drewery led off the inning with a single to center, and advanced to second on pinch hitter Jon Crockett's bunt hit.  After a Matt Rizzuto sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Jonathan Ahearn reached on a bunt single, driving in Drewery.  After Crockett stole home, Daniel Cooke executed the suicide squeeze, scoring Ahearn.

ETSU trailed 8-3 in the eighth when junior Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) cut the lead to 8-5 with a two-run blast over the left field wall; his fifth of the season and second of the series.

Junior Jimmy Tidwell (Alpharetta, Ga.) pitched a perfect eighth inning for his first win of the season, and sophomore Darren Caldwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) sat the Bulldogs down in order in the ninth for his first career save.  MacDonald (2-1) gave up all five ninth inning runs, taking his first loss of the season.

The Bucs return to action Tuesday, March 20 taking on Appalachian State in Hickory, N.C.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.