Sunday, March 27, 2005

GREENSBORO, N.C. (Mar. 27, 2005) - Buccaneer junior righty Jeremy Hall (Gray, Tenn.) was dominant Sunday afternoon against UNC Greensboro, allowing no runs on just three hits and striking out 11 over 8.2 innings in a 1-0 ETSU victory from UNCG Baseball Stadium in Greensboro, N.C. With the win, the Bucs raise their record to 13-7, 4-5 in Southern Conference play while the Spartans fall to 15-8, 6-3 in conference games.

With the victory, the Bucs win their first series against UNC Greensboro since 1999 and take their first-ever series in Greensboro against the Spartans. The game was also the first 1-0 game that the Bucs have been involved in since 1992, an ETSU win over Appalachian State in the first round of the SoCon Tournament.

The Bucs took the lead after scoring a run in the top of the first. Junior shortstop Chuck Hargis (Powell, Tenn.) walked to lead off the inning, and advanced to third as junior right fielder Shane Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) reached on an error. Senior catcher Caleb Moore (Knoxville, Tenn.) brought Hargis home with a sacrifice fly to right.

Hall was phenominal from the start, allowing just one hit and striking out eight over the first five innings. Hall retired 10 straight batters between the second and fifth innings. UNCG starter Adam Krieger settled down after the first inning, allowing just three hits between the second and seventh frames.

The Spartans posed a serious threat in the bottom of the ninth, loading the bases with two outs as Jake Linney walked, David Adams singled and pinch-hitter Danny McClure was hit by a pitch. But Moore came on to get the final out on a fly ball for his sixth save of the season.

Hall moves to 4-1 on the season with the victory and his 11 strikeouts are a career-high. He also walked three batters in the win. Krieger pitched well but was charged with the loss (1-1) after allowing five hits, walking three and striking out two in 6.2 innings.

ETSU junior second baseman Greg Roberts (Douglas, Ga.) led the Bucs at the plate, going 2-for-4 while sophomore left fielder Stephen Douglas (Kennesaw, Ga.), junior first baseman Blake Church (Roswell, Ga.) and freshman third baseman Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) each had a hit in the win.

Adams, Linney and Justin Crist had the only three hits, all singles, for UNC Greensboro.

The Buccaneers return to action on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. as they travel to Virginia Tech. The game can be heard on the Mountain States Health Alliance Buccaneer Sports Network, beginning with the dugout show at 6:30 p.m.