Wednesday, March 09, 2005

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Mar. 9, 2005) - The East Tennessee State baseball team continued their hot start to the 2005 season, defeating Samford, 11-6, Wednesday afternoon from Cardinal Park in Johnson City, Tenn. With the win, the Bucs raise their record to 9-1 while the Bulldogs fall to 1-8.

            East Tennessee State took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Junior centerfielder Matt Traylor (Knoxville, Tenn.) led off the inning with a single to right, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Traylor would later score on a ground out by senior catcher Caleb Moore (Knoxville, Tenn.).

            Samford sent nine men to the plate in the top of the second, scoring five runs to take their first lead. After Garrett Rice and Trey Moody had back-to-back hits to start the inning, Richard Bishop came to the plate and hit a three-run homer over the right field wall. With one out, Hunter Tubbs hit an infield single and moved to third on a double to center by Jeff Dils. Tubbs would score on a groundout by Justin Worthington while Dils crossed the plate on a failed pickoff attempt.

            But the Bucs struck for five runs of their own in the bottom of the second, taking the lead for good. Junior designated hitter Steven Calicutt (Spartanburg, S.C.) and freshman third baseman Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) led off the inning with consecutive walks. With one out, Calicutt scored and Russell moved to third on an RBI double by junior shortstop Chuck Hargis (Powell, Tenn.). With two down, junior right fielder Shane Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) singled up the middle to score Russell and Hargis. Moore then came to the plate and hit a towering two-run homer over the centerfield wall.

            From then on, the Buccaneer pitchers took control, allowing one unearned run on four hits over the final seven innings.

            ETSU added a run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 7-5. Hargis singled through the left side then stole second. After moving to third on a ground out by Traylor, Hargis would cross the plate on a throwing error.

            The Bulldogs scored their final run in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Rice doubled to right-center then scored on a throwing error on an infield single by Moody.

            The Bucs added two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings, providing the final margin of victory. Calicutt drove in two runs with a double in the seventh while junior first baseman Blake Church (Roswell, Ga.) hit an RBI single and sophomore left fielder Stephen Douglas (Kennesaw, Ga.) laced an RBI double in the eighth.

            Buccaneer junior lefty Brian Lovett (Knoxville, Tenn.) earned to win (2-0) after not allowing an earned run in 2.1 innings of relief. He gave up two hits and struck out two batters while walking one. The ETSU bullpen was stellar, as Jonathan Stoudt (Marietta, Ga.), McCay Green (Orlando, Fla.), Calicutt and Trevor Smith (Newport, Tenn.) each pitched at least one scoreless inning this afternoon.

            Samford starter Scott Fowler was charged with the loss (0-3) after allowing six earned runs in 1.2 innings. He gave up five hits and two walks while striking out one.

            ETSU was led at the plate by Church and Douglas, who each went 3-for-5 on the day. Moore led the team with three RBIs while Byrne, Church and Hargis each scored two runs in the win.

            Rice and Moody each had two hits to lead Samford. Bishop drove in three runs while Rice scored two.

            The Bucs return to action this weekend as they travel to Furman for their first Southern Conference series of the season. Friday's game is set for 7 p.m., Saturday's game will start at 6 p.m. while Sunday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday's game will be broadcast on the Mountain States Health Alliance Buccaneer Sports Network while live stats will be available for all three games on the official website of ETSU athletics, www.ETSUBucs.com.