Saturday, March 18, 2006

Johnson City, Tenn. (March 18, 2006) - Junior catcher Justin Aughey (Davie, Fla.) blasted two home runs and had three RBI on the day, including the game-winners in both contests as the Bucs swept a doubleheader from Atlantic Sun foe North Florida 8-7 and 7-4 Saturday afternoon at Cardinal Park.

With the game tied at seven and two outs in the ninth inning, Aughey belted his second homer of the game and fifth of the season over the right field wall, providing ETSU with the dramatic 8-7 walk-off win in the opener.  The homer is Aughey's third game winner of the season.

The Bucs (13-8, 4-1) trailed for much of game one, yielding three first inning runs to the visiting Ospreys.  Back-to-back homers in the bottom of the second from senior Blake Church (Roswell, Ga.) and Aughey cut the deficit to 3-2.  It was the fourth homer of the season for both players.

After two more Osprey runs in the fourth, junior Michael Courtney (Knoxville, Tenn.) crushed his second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left, to cut the lead to 5-4.  The Bucs tied the contest later in the frame when senior Josiah Glafenhein (Knoxville, Tenn.) drove in sophomore Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) from second with a single to right field.

After North Florida (12-11, 5-3) took a 7-6 lead with two runs in the seventh, the Bucs evened the contest in the eighth when Glafenhein scored on closer Josh Papelbon's botched pick off throw to first, setting the stage for Aughey's heroics.

Junior Ryan Howe (Spartanburg, S.C.) pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Bucs, striking out four, but did not factor into the decision.  Senior Steven Calicutt (Spartanburg, S.C.) pitched a perfect final 1 2/3 innings for the win, improving to 3-1 on the year.  Papelbon took the loss, falling to 3-2.

It was Aughey again delivering the clutch hit in the nightcap, driving in junior C.J. Lee (Bristol, Va.) with a double to center field in the bottom of the eighth, breaking a 4-4 tie.  The Bucs tacked on two more insurance runs in the frame, with an RBI single from Church and a one-out error by second baseman Andrew Chapman.

Senior Jeremy Hall (Gray, Tenn.) went seven strong innings for the Bucs, striking out six, but like Howe in game one, did not factor into the decision.  Instead it was Calicutt, again shutting down the Osprey offense over the final 1 2/3 innings, picking up his second win of the day.  Jason Kracunas fell to 0-1, absorbing the loss in relief of starter Ryan Amason.

Lee collected hits in both games, improving his hitting streak to 11 games.  Church also hit safely in both games and is now riding a seven game hit streak.

The two clubs meet up again on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the series finale.