Saturday, April 25, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 25, 2009) - The ETSU baseball team won its eighth straight game Saturday afternoon as they defeated High Point 17-15 at Cardinal Park.

 

The eight game win streak is the longest since the Bucs won their first eight in 2005. ETSU is now 22-19 on the season and 9-12 in league play. The Panthers fall to 17-22 overall and 9-9 in conference play.

 

Josh Gonzaga (Davie, Fla.) went 5.2 innings earning his third win of the season as he allowed five runs on 11 hits with a walk and two strikeouts. High Point starter Jamie Serber was tabbed with the loss allowing ten runs (nine earned) on 12 hits in 4.1 innings of work.

 

The Bucs pounded out 12 extra base hits in the game, and were led offensivly by catcher Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.) and left fielder Troy Mendez (Roswell, Ga.). Trent was 3-for-5 with a double and drove in three runs, while Mendez was 3-for-6 with two doubles, a home run, scored three runs and had three RBI. Mendez's double in the first inning extended his current hit streak to 16 games.

 

First baseman Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) gave the Bucs a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as he doubled in Mendez from second. ETSU added another run in the inning on a RBI single up the middle by Trent to make the score 2-0.

 

The Panthers got on the board in the top of the third scoring three runs on a two-run single by centerfielder Bill Manion and a RBI single by first baseman Kyle Mahoney to take a 3-2 lead.

 

ETSU answered in the bottom of the third as Mendez launched a two-run home run over the fence in right for the ninth time on the year to give the Bucs a 4-3 lead.

 

The Bucs added two more in the bottom of the fourth on a solo home run to right by centerfielder Matthew Scruggs (Knoxville, Tenn.) and a RBI single by right fielder Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) to take a 6-3 leas.

 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Buccaneers exploded for six runs on five hits highlighted by a solo shot to right by Hoilman and a RBI triple to right center by Scruggs to take a commanding 12-3 lead.

 

High Point cut into the ETSU lead in the top of the sixth on a solo home run that hit off of the foul pole in right by Max Fulginiti and a RBI single by Alfie Wheeler to cut the lead to 12-5. The home run was the first of Fulginiti's career and extended his hit streak to 29 games.

 

ETSU added a couple insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI double by the designated hitter Danny Petro (Atlanta, Ga.) and a RBI single by Scruggs to make the score 14-5.

 

The Panthers got two more runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run home run by Fulginiti to cut the lead to 14-7.

 

In the top of the eighth, High Point narrowed the Buccaneer lead to 14-13 scoring six runs on eight straight hits including a RBI double by Billy Alvino and a two-run single by left fielder Pablo Rosario.

 

Fabry tacked on another run in the bottom of the eighth as he doubled down the line in left to score Scruggs to give the Bucs a 15-13 lead. Trent added two more in the inning on a two-run double down the right field line to make the score 17-13.

 

High Point scored two in the ninth on a sac fly to right by Fulginiti and a RBI single by Eric Marion to make the final 17-15.

 

Senior Darren Caldwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) picked up his third save of the season as he went the last 1.1 innings allowing two runs (none earned) on three hits with two strikeouts.

 

The Bucs are back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. as they take on High Point in the final game of the series at Cardinal Park. Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news.

 

ETSU 17, High Point 15 (April 25, 2009 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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HPU.............. 003  002  262   - 15   23     1   (17-22, 9-9 Big South)

ETSU............ 202  262  03x    - 17   20     3   (22-19, 9-12 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Josh Gonzaga; Ben Andrews (6); Bo Reeder (7); Darren Caldwell (8)

HPU - Jamie Serber; Spencer Andrews (5); Mikel Rodenberg (7); Nick Schumacher (8)

Win -  Josh Gonzaga (3-2) Loss - Jamie Serber (4-3) Save - Darren Caldwell (3)

Home Runs - ETSU - Troy Mendez (9); Matthew Scruggs (3); Paul Hoilman (8)

HPU - Max Fulginiti 2(2)