Saturday, March 01, 2008

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 1, 2008) - The ETSU baseball team dropped two games to the USC Upstate Spartans Saturday at Cardinal Park as the Bucs lost 11-1 in the first game and 8-3 in the second.

ETSU (0-6, 0-2) was shut down by the Spartan pitchers only scoring a combined four runs on 16 hits. USC Upstate (4-3, 2-0) gave Buc pitching problems in both games at the Spartans were efficient scoring a combined 19 runs on 20 hits.

In the first game, the Bucs took an early lead in the first on an Anthony Russell (Waldorf, Md.) solo shot to left. Senior pitcher Brandon Langston (Ringgold, Ga.) took a 1-0 lead into the fifth, but was chased from the game after giving up five runs in the sixth inning.

USC Upstate would score three in the seventh on grounders by Keith Bisgounis and Jimmy Tanner, and an RBI single by Eric Guillen. The Spartans would score two more in the eighth on RBI singles by Andrew Runion and Tanner to make the final 11-1 in eight innings.

In the second game, ETSU would take a 2-1 lead on hits by Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Troy Mendez (Roswell, Ga.). USC Upstate would tie the game in the third on a Buc error.

The Spartans took the lead in the fifth as USC Upstate scored three runs on RBI singles by Casey Rivers and Runion, and a Phillip Morgan sacrifice fly. ETSU would cut the lead to 6-3 in the sixth on an RBI single by Mendez.

In the ninth, USC Upstate would score three more as the Spartans would win the second game by a final of 8-3.

Game three of the series is set for 1 p.m. tomorrow at Cardinal Park. Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news.

Game 1: USC Upstate 11, ETSU 1 (8) (March 1, 2008 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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USC Upstate.............000  015  32  -  11  12  0     (3-3, 1-0 A-Sun)
ETSU………............ 100  000  00  -  1  5  2     (0-5, 0-1 A-Sun)
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Pitchers: ETSU - Brandon Langston; Jimmy Tidwell (7); Paul Hoilman (7)
USC - Kyle Bowley
Win - Kyle Bowley (2-0) Loss -   Brandon Langston (0-2)

HR: ETSU -   Anthony Russell (2)

Game 2: USC Upstate 8, ETSU 3 (March 1, 2008 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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USC Upstate.............101  030  003  -  8  8  0     (4-3, 2-0 A-Sun)
ETSU………............ 200  001  000  -  3  11  2     (0-6, 0-2 A-Sun)
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Pitchers: ETSU - Josh Means; Ben Andrews (5)
USC - Matt Branham; Justin Hayes (9)
Win - Matt Branham (2-0) Loss -   Josh Means (0-2)