April 7, 2006

Final Stats

Statesboro, Ga. - A close game was blown open late as Georgia Southern, who hit six home runs on the night, had four round-trippers over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to hand Western Carolina a 17-0 loss Friday night at J.I. Clements Stadium.

The Eagles (17-16, 5-2 Southern Conference) were clinging to a 3-0 lead with just six hits through five complete innings. Then with two on and one out in the top of the sixth, Georgia Southern starter Everett Teaford got back-to-back strikeouts to keep the shutout intact. The Eagles then erupted for two runs in the bottom of the sixth, four in the seventh and eight in the eighth to get the win.

Teaford improves to 4-3 on the season, scattering seven hits over eight innings with zero walks and eight strikeouts. For Western Carolina (18-12, 6-4 SoCon), Brock Thornburg suffered the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season. He allowed six hits over 5.2 innings with five runs (three earned) with no walks and a strikeout.

Georgia Southern drew first blood, scoring two runs in the third. After a leadoff double by Matt Miller, Greg Dowling hit a one-out, two-run home run for his sixth blast of the season.

The Eagles used the long ball again in the fourth as Brett Pelfrey lined a home run down the left field line for his fourth of the season.

In the sixth, Georgia Southern took advantage of two Catamount errors to push across two unearned runs and take a 5-0 lead. Mike Economos started the home half by reaching on an error and David Richardson put runners on second and third with a one-out, two-base error. Brian Pierce plated Economos with a sacrifice fly to center. After a walk, Chris Shehan singled to bring home Richardson.

Parker put the Eagles up 6-0 in the seventh, hitting a one-out home run down the left field line. With one on, Pelfrey delivered his second homer of the contest for an 8-0 GSU cushion. Western looked to get out of the inning with a strikeout, but a wild pitch allowed Richardson to reach and Pierce struck out for what would have been the third out. Shehan, after a walk to Miller, drove in Richardson with a single to left-center.

The Eagles kept the peddle down, scoring eight runs in the eighth. With the bases loaded, pinch hitters Phillip Porter and Jeremy Beckham had back-to-back RBI singles. Later, with two outs and the bases loaded, pinch hitter Chris Hollis had a two-run single. Shehan then cleared the bases with a three-run home run. On the next pitch, pinch hitter Will Southwell hit a homer to left.

The Catamounts had three players account for their eight hits. Barrett Shaft and Jonathan Greene each had three and Tim Hallam added two. Steven Strausbaugh had his 14-game hit streak snapped.

Game two of the three game set will come on Saturday with first pitch set for 1:30 pm.