April 27, 2007

Box Score

Greenville, S.C. - Furman used a three-run bottom of the seventh and a game-winning, two-run home run in the home portion of the eighth to rally back to defeat Western Carolina, 5-3, Friday night in Southern Conference baseball action at the Furman Baseball Stadium. The Paladin rally spoiled a solid night for both WCU senior Kenny Smith and junior pitcher Tyler Sexton.

Western (28-14, 11-5 SoCon) was led by a 3-for-5 performance at the plate by senior Kenny Smith, who belted his team-best 15th home run of the season to open scoring with two outs in the third. The Asheville, N.C., native also tripled and scored in the sixth to give WCU a 2-0 advantage on a sacrifice fly by junior Jonathan Greene.

However, Furman plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh, capitalizing on three hits and a pair of Catamount errors in the infield to pull ahead, 3-2. The Paladins, who had managed just four hits against Sexton over the first six frames, used timely hits in the seventh when Cole Franklin turned a short fly ball to center field into a leadoff double. Paul Ortenzo then bounced a grounder to short where an attempted throw to third base to retire Franklin scooted past the bag, allowing Franklin to score. Ortenzo, who took second base on the throwing error, moved to third on a wild pitch before coming into score on a Spence Gibbs infield single to tie the game at 2-2. At that point Gibbs was sacrificed to second, where he was pinch run for by Will Stembridge, who then moved to third on a groundout and later scored on a second Catamount throwing error.

Western Carolina came right back in the eighth, though, to tie the game at 3-3. After Greene led off with a single, John Ingram reached on a throwing error by Ortenzo at first base on a sacrifice bunt attempt, giving the Catamounts runners at first and third. Reliever Nick Hollstegge, who earned the win for Furman on the night, rallied to retire freshman Nick Liles on pop out to the catcher, but pinch hitter Andy John came through with a sacrifice fly RBI to the right field fence that tied the game at 3-3.

Yet, a one-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to straight-away center field by Franklin proved to be the difference.

Sexton (6-2) was the tough-luck loser, suffering his second defeat in the past three days. The High Point, N.C., native went all eight innings, scattering five runs - four of which were earned - with nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Game two of the three-game set is scheduled for 6:00 pm on Saturday evening.