Sunday, April 02, 2006

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 2, 2006) - The ETSU baseball squad erased a five-run deficit in the eighth inning to enter the final frame tied at 13, but back-to-back Belmont homers in the top half stymied the Buccaneer momentum, and the Bruins held off the Bucs last gasp in the ninth for a 15-14 Atlantic Sun Conference victory Sunday afternoon at Cardinal Park.

Junior left fielder C.J. Lee (Bristol, Va.) started the rally with a one-out, two-run blast off the right field foul pole to cut what had been a 13-8 Bruin lead to 13-10.  After a fly out, four straight Bucs reached, started by sophomore catcher Bubba Herbold's (Knoxville, Tenn.) single to center.  Senior Josiah Glafenhein (Knoxville, Tenn.) plated pinch runner Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) with a double to the gap in right-center field, and came around to score himself when first baseman Derek Wiley muffed a throw from shortstop Aaron Lautman.  Senior Shane Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) drove in the equalizing run with a single to left field.

Senior closer Steven Calicutt (Spartanburg, S.C.) retired the first two batters he faced in the ninth, but center fielder Kane Simmons and right fielder Wilson Tucker delivered consecutive homers, with Tucker's proving to be the game-winner.

Senior Blake Church (Roswell, Ga.) cut the lead to one with a lead-off homer in the Bucs half of the ninth, and ETSU put runners on first and second with just one out in the inning, but Belmont closer Chris Manning entered the game and slammed the door on the Buccaneer rally for his sixth save of the season.

Lee, who had been struggling from the plate, broke out of his slump in a big way, ending the day 5-for-6 with a home run, two doubles and three RBI.  Church finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBI, continuing his hot hitting of late, and Byrne also went 3-for-5, driving in two Buccaneer runs.

Calicutt retired nine straight hitters after entering the game in the sixth inning, but took the loss, falling to 4-2.  Eric Diaz picked up the win in relief of starter Carlo Testa, for his first win of the season.

The Bucs (17-13, 6-6) are back at home Wednesday, April 5 with a 7:00 p.m. tilt against in-state rival Tennessee.