Friday, May 15, 2009

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (May 15, 2009) - The ETSU baseball team dropped two games to Lipscomb Friday at Cardinal Park, 6-5 and 16-7, as the Bucs are on an eight-game skid.

The Bucs fall to 23-27 on the season and 9-20 in conference, while the Bisons are now 23-30 overall and 17-12 in the Atlantic Sun.

Senior Darren Caldwell (Spartanburg, S.C.) was tabbed with the loss in game one surrendering two runs on seven hits in 4.0 innings of work. Brandon McClurg picked up his fifth win of the season going 4.2 giving up two runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Josh Smith earned the win in game two throwing 6.0 innings allowing two runs on three hits with a walk and ten strikeouts. Josh Gonzaga (Davie, Fla.) was the losing pitcher of record giving up eight runs (seven earned) on six hits with three walks and struck out four.

ETSU was led offensively by catcher Derek Trent (Kingsport, Tenn.) and centerfielder Jacob Fabry (Chattanooga, Tenn.) as Trent was 4-for-8 on the day with a double, a home run and five RBI, while Fabry was 3-for-8 with an RBI and swiped his 22nd bag of the season.

The Bucs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead on Thursday as first baseman Paul Hoilman (Johnson City, Tenn.) and second baseman Ben Allen (Kingsport, Tenn.) hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first.

Lipscomb tied the game at 3-all in the top of the third on a two-run home run by right fielder M.L. Williams and a RBI single by left fielder Allen Bolden.

In the top of the fourth, the Bisons took a 4-3 lead as the designated hitter Tennyson Dodd doubled down the left field line to score a run.

The game was suspended to Friday after the sky opened up in the bottom of the fifth. Play resumed Friday as the Lipscomb catcher Logan Hostettler singled up the middle in the top of the seventh scoring a run to extend the Lipscomb lead to 5-3.

The Bucs tied things at 5-all in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run double by Trent.

The Bisons took a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth on a Bolden solo shot to left.

In the second game, Lipscomb took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Justin Sanders RBI single.

In the top of the fifth, Andrew Nickerson launched a two-run home run over the fence in right center to give the Bisons a 3-0 lead.

The Bisons blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth scoring eight runs on six hits and two ETSU errors to take an 11-0 lead.

ETSU cut into the Lipscomb lead in the bottom of the sixth on a towering two-run home run by Trent to make the score 11-2.

The Bucs continued to rally in the bottom of the seventh narrowing the Bisons lead to 11-7 after scoring five runs on four hits highlighted by RBI singles by Fabry and Trent.

Lipscomb put the game out of reach in the top of the ninth scoring five runs on five hits and a Buccaneer error to make the final 16-7.

With the USC Upstate sweep of Campbell in Buies Creek, N.C., the Bucs did clinch a spot in the A-Sun tournament for the first time in three years.

ETSU is back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. as the Bucs take on Lipscomb in the final regular season game as it will be Senior Day for the Bucs. Please visit www.ETSUBucs.com for more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news.

Game 1: Lipscomb 6, ETSU 5 (May 15, 2009 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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LU.................. 003  010  101   -  6    14     1   (22-30, 16-12 A-Sun)

ETSU............ 300  000  020   -  5      9      0   (23-26, 9-19 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Chas Byrne; Darren Caldwell (6)

LU - Rex Brothers; Brandon McClurg (5)

Win - Brandon McClurg (5-4) Loss - Darren Caldwell (4-2)

HR - ETSU - Paul Hoilman (15); Ben Allen (5)

LU - M.L. Williams (3); Allen Bolden (8)

Game 2: Lipscomb 16, ETSU 7 (May 15, 2009 at Johnson City, Tenn.)
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LU.................. 100  028  004   - 16   16     1   (23-30, 17-12 A-Sun)

ETSU............ 000  002  50     -  7      8      4   (23-27, 9-20 A-Sun)

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Pitchers: ETSU - Josh Gonzaga; Drew Story (6); Taylor Gouffon (6); Bo Burton (7); Ben Andrews (8); Dustin Plumlee (9)

LU - Josh Smith; Josh Cotham (7); Matt Bowling (7)

Win - Josh Smith (6-4) Loss - Josh Gonzaga (3-4) Save - Matt Bowling (1)

HR - ETSU - Derek Trent (6)

LU - Andrew Nickerson (2); Justin Sanders (11)