Friday, March 28, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 28, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team defeated North Florida at Cardinal Park Friday night in a rainy game, 6-3.

ETSU (6-17, 6-7) has now won its last five games in conference dating back to the March 16 4-3 win over Mercer. The Bucs were out hit by North Florida 12-10, but received another good start from senior Brandon Langston (Ringgold, Ga.) went six innings giving up three runs on 11 hits and struck out four while walking none.

The Bucs got out to an early 1-0 lead on an Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) double down the right field line bringing in Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) from first base.

In the bottom of the third, ETSU would score three runs on an RBI single by Fabry to drive in Nick Belcher (Abingdon, Va.) and a two-run home run down the right field line by Russell to make the score 4-0. The Ospreys answered in the top of the fourth on a RBI single by Andy Warren up the middle to cut the Buc lead to 4-1.

North Florida would score again in the top of the sixth as J.T. Thompson doubled to left center driving in a run to make the score 4-2. The Bucs answered in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI triple to left by Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) to drive in Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) and Bubba Herbold (Knoxville, Tenn.) drove in Petro on a sacrifice fly to left field to increase the Buc leas to 6-2.

The Ospreys would score another run in the top of the seventh on a solo home run to right by Preston Hale to make the score 6-3.

Junior Dustin Plumlee (Powell, Tenn.) came in and shut the door on North Florida as he pitched three scoreless innings only giving up one hit and struck out three while earning his first save of the season.

Fabry, Russell and Petro each had a big day for the Bucs as Fabry had three hits and an RBI, Russell had two hit including a home run and three RBI, and Petro had three hits and also drove in a run.

The Bucs are back in action tomorrow as they will play a double header against North Florida starting at 1 p.m. with the second game to follow 30 minutes after the completion of game one.

ETSU 6, UNF 3 (March 28, 2008 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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UNF...............000  101  100   -  3  12  1   (13-11, 5-7 A-Sun)

ETSU............ 103  002  00x   -  6  10  0   (6-17, 6-7 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU -  Brandon Langston; Dustin Plumlee (7)
UNF -  John Raiford; Antonio Franzese (5)

Win - Brandon Langston (2-4) Loss - John Raiford (2-1)

HR - ETSU - Anthony Russell (7)

UNF - Preston Hale (4)