Wednesday, May 25, 2005

CHARLESTON, S.C. (May 25, 2005) - With East Tennessee State leading 2-1 in the fourth inning, Georgia Southern scored four runs over the next three innings en route to a 7-3 victory over the Bucs in the first round of the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament, Wednesday night from Riley Park in Charleston, S.C.

            Second-seeded Georgia Southern (36-20) took the first lead of the game with a run in the bottom of the second. Brett Pelfrey singled to left with one out and Brent Stephens followed with an RBI double to left-center.

            No. 7 seed ETSU (31-21) took the advantage with two runs in the top of the third. With two outs, junior right fielder Shane Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) tripled to centerfield. Senior catcher Caleb Moore (Knoxville, Tenn.) then crushed his 15^th home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left field wall.

            The Eagles tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by James Payne. They then took a 3-2 lead on another RBI double by Stephens in the bottom of the fifth. They continued their rally with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Logan Phillips hit an RBI double and later crossed the plate on a double-play grounder.

            Georgia Southern scored their final two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Phillips led off the inning with a walk, then scored on a subsequent triple by Jason Hurst. Hurst would later score on a sacrifice fly Greg Dowling.

            Everett Teaford (9-3) earned the win for the Eagles, going eight innings and allowing three runs on eight hits. He also walked three and struck out nine in the win.

            ETSU junior righty Jeremy Hall (Gray, Tenn.) was charged with the loss, giving up five runs on 13 hits in five innings of work.

            Byrne led the Bucs at the plate, going 3-for-5 while senior second baseman Nick Crowe (Johnson City, Tenn.) was 2-for-4 on the night.

            Payne and Stephens both went 3-for-5 for the Eagles while Stephens drove in two runs and Phillips scored two.

            East Tennessee State returns to action tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. against the loser of tonight's game between No. 6 seed The Citadel and third-seeded Western Carolina in the loser's bracket of the SoCon Baseball Tournament from Riley Park in Charleston, S.C.