Friday, May 28, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 28, 2010) - A two-run home run by centerfielder Matthew Scruggs (Knoxville, Tenn.) lifted the ETSU baseball team over top seeded Florida Gulf Coast in an elimination game Friday at the Atlantic Sun baseball tournament at Dugan field on the Lipscomb campus in Nashville, Tenn.

 

Junior Chas Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) picked up the win for the Bucs (32-27, 15-12 A-Sun) throwing 3.2 innings of one-hit relief. Byrne struck out three with one walk on the way to his fifth win of the season.

 

Patrick Nathanson was tabbed with loss after giving up five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of relief.

 

Scruggs and Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) led the way offensively for ETSU. Scruggs was 3-for-4 with two RBI and was a triple short of the cycle, while Hoilman was 2-for-3 with a double, home run, two walks and drove in five runs.

 

Hoilman's two walks in the game set a school single season and career record as the local native now has 49 walks on the year and 114 in his career.

 

ETSU exploded for six runs on four hits in the second inning to take an early 6-0 lead. A bases clearing double by Hoilman highlighted the scoring for the Bucs in the inning.

 

The Eagles scored a run in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Stephen Wickens to make the score 6-1.

 

The Bucs got the run back in the top of the third as shortstop Kerry Doane (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) came in to score on a ball hit to second by Michael Gonzalez (Jupiter, Fla.) to go in front 7-1.

 

Luke Smierciak drove in a run for the Eagles in the bottom of the third on a double down the left field line to cut the Buccaneer lead to 7-2.

 

In the top of the fourth, Hoilman crushed his 25^th home run of the season well over the fence in left for a two run home run to extend the ETSU lead to 9-2. The home run was also the 51st career home run for Hoilman tying him with Mike Nipper for the ETSU career home run record.

 

Zach Maxfield answered the Hoilman home run with one of his own in the bottom of the fourth cutting the lead to 9-5 after a three-run shot to left.

 

Florida Gulf Coast scored five runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth to take a 10-9 lead.

 

The Eagles lead was short lived though as Scruggs took a 2-1 pitch and hammered it over the fence in left center for a two-run home run putting the Buccaneers back in front 11-10. Later in the inning, Byrne singled in Michael Gonzalez (Wellington, Fla.) to give ETSU an insurance run, 12-10.

 

Byrne went on to face one more than the minimum in the final three innings of the game getting a double play ground out by Tim Roberson to end the contest.

 

The Bucs are back in action tonight at 8 p.m. EST as they face Mercer for the right to go to the Atlantic Sun Championship game. For more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.

                                   

 

#3 ETSU 12, #1 FGCU 10 (May 28, 2010 at Nashville, Tenn.)
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ETSU............ 061  200  300   - 12   16     1       (31-27, 15-12 A-Sun)

FGCU............ 011  305  000  - 10   14     0       (38-20, 25-5 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Ben Booker; Scott McNally (6); Chas Byrne (6)

FGCU - Pete Woodworth; Patrick Nathanson (3); Jason Forjet (8)

Win - Chas Byrne (5-6) Loss - Patrick Nathanson (5-4)

HR - ETSU - Paul Hoilman (25); Matthew Scruggs (13)

FGCU - Zach Maxfield (11)