Saturday, May 17, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (May 17, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team was swept by Stetson, 16-15,  Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Park in a offensive display as the teams combined to hit ten home runs and score 31 runs.

ETSU (18-38, 9-24) out hit the hatters 19-17 as the Bucs had two doubles, a triple and four home runs on the day. The ten combined home runs is a season high in an Atlantic Sun game this season.

The Hatters scored first as they put up a four spot in the top of the first on a couple RBI doubles by Justin Bass and Aaron Crittenden and a two-run home run by Brian Pruitt to give Stetson a 4-0 lead.

The Bucs answered in the bottom of the first as senior Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) crushed a two-run home run over the fence in left to cut the Stetson lead to 4-2. Jon Edmonds (Johnson City, Tenn.) singled through the left side scoring Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) to cut the Hatter lead to 4-3. Chris Rankhorn (Gallatin, Tenn.) walked with the bases loaded bringing in Nick Belcher (Abingdon, Va.)  to tie the game at 4-4.

Stetson retook the lead in the top of the second as Casey Frawley sent a ball over the fence in left for a three-run home run giving the Hatters a 7-4 lead. In the next at bat Jeremy Cruz hit a solo shot to right to increase the Stetson lead to 8-4.

In the bottom of the second, Bubba Herbold (Knoxville, Tenn.) drove in Hoilman on a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 8-5 Stetson. The Bucs scored thre more runs as Edmonds doubled to left center scoring Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.), and Chas Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) singled to center scoring Belcher. Rankhorn capped off the scoring as he singled to right bringing in Edmonds to tie the game for the second time at 8-8.

The Hatters retook the lead as they added three more runs in the top of the third on a RBI single by Robert Crews and a two-run home run to right by Sean Emory giving Stetson a 11-8 lead.

Russell tied the school record for home runs in a season in the bottom of the third as he blasted a solo shot to right center for his 21^st home run of the season. Mike Nipper previously held the record

Pruitt added another run for the Hatters in the top of the fourth as he grounded to third to increase the Stetson lead to 12-9.

Edmonds launched a solo shot over the fence in left in the bottom of the fourth cutting the lead to 12-10. In the top of the fifth, Clendenin hit a solo home run over the Dr. Enuf sign and Cruz hit a two-run home run to right to extend the Stetson lead to 15-10.

The Bucs added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Herbold drove in his second run of the game singling up the middle scoring Belcher to make the score 15-11.

In the bottom of the eighth, Edmonds hit for the cycle as he tripled to center. Later in the inning Rankhorn drove in Edmonds on a grounder to first to cut the lead to 15-12.

Cruz doubled in a run in the top of the ninth to give the Hatters a 16-12 lead. Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) pulled the Bucs within one run in the bottom of the ninth as he hit a three-run home run down the right field line making the score 16-15. With Herbold on second Troy Mendez (Roswell, Ga.) hit a hard line drive back up the middle, but Stetson reliever Will Dorsey made an outstanding play to snag the liner to end the game.

Jimmy Tidwell (Acworth, Ga.) pitched well in relief for the Bucs as he threw 3.1 scoreless innings allowing only two hits and striking out seven while walking two.

Edmonds had an incredible day on senior day as he was 4-for-6 with a double, triple, home run and three RBI. Russell also had a good day as he was 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI. Petro and Rankhorn also had three RBI on the day.

Stetson 16, ETSU 15 (May 17, 2008 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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SU…...........443  130  001  - 16  17  0   (25-31, 15-18 A-Sun)

ETSU..........441  110  013  - 15  19  0   (18-38, 9-24 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Ben Andrews; Ty Sarchet (2); Jimmy Tidwell  (5); Darren Caldwell (9); Robbie Campbell (9)
SU - Jake Hitchcock; Brad Tressler (1); Nick Bohne (3); Ian Thompson (6); Will Dorsey (9)

Win - Nick Bohne (2-2) Loss - Ty Sarchet (3-6) Save - Will Dorsey (1)

HR - ETSU - Anthony Russell 2(21); Jon Edmonds (2); Danny Petro (5)

SU - Brian Pruitt (4); Sean Emory (3); Casey Frawley (7); Jeremy Cruz 2(15); Josh Clendenin (3)