Georgia Southern Rallies to Sweep Davidson Baseball in Doubleheader Friday

Thursday, April 5

Davidson, N.C.

Lightning Delay

Davidson College

Georgia Southern

Drew Gadaire

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Georgia Southern Rallies to Sweep Davidson Baseball in Doubleheader Friday

4/6/2012 11:39:00 PM | Baseball

By: Mark Brumbaugh

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson was able to get eight innings from both of its starting pitchers, but Georgia Southern was able score late to secure an 8-3 victory in the first game and a come-from-behind 6-3 victory in the second game in Southern Conference baseball action Friday at Wilson Field.

Davidson (11-17, 3-11 SoCon) freshman LHP Henry Sisson left the second game with a 3-2 lead after eight innings of work, holding Georgia Southern (17-15, 7-7 SoCon) to two runs on three hits and four walks with nine strikeouts, but the Eagles rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth inning. The 'Cats out-hit the Eagles 9-6, but left 12 runners on base to Georgia Southern's six.

RHP Chris Beck (4-2) held Davidson to three runs on eight hits and a walk with nine strikeouts for the complete game win in the first game. Senior RHP Ryan Overcash (2-5) went a career-high eight innings for Davidson, yielding six runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks.

In the top of the ninth in the second game with a runner on second base and one out, second baseman Tyler Avera hit a single through the right side to drive in the game-tying run for Georgia Southern. Later in the frame with the bases loaded and two outs, left fielder Michael Burruss tripled to right field to clear the bases for the final 6-3 margin.

The Wildcats were led offensively in the game by senior centerfielder Drew Gadaire, who went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Davidson had taken its first lead of the game in the seventh inning. Trailing 2-1 with one out and runners on first and second, freshman pinch-hitter Ben Arkin earned his first career RBI with a single to right-center field to score Gadaire. The Wildcats' go-ahead run came on a grounder by freshman second baseman David Daniels that was mishandled by the third baseman.

LHP Drew Johnson yielded the Davidson runs after starting the seventh inning. Eagles starter RHP Justin Hess left the game after six innings, striking out 12 and yielding just one unearned run on five hits and three walks.

Prior to the seventh inning, all of the scoring took place in the third inning. Georgia Southern scored two runs in the top half on a sacrifice fly by centerfielder Scooter Williams and an RBI-single by Burruss. The 'Cats tallied an unearned run in the bottom half when Gadaire drove in sophomore left fielder Forrest Brandt, who reached on an error, with a double to the wall in the left-center field gap.

Just three different Eagles had hits in the game, but Burruss was 3-for-5 with four RBI, Avera went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and first baseman T.D. Davis (1-for-3) started the ninth inning rally.

RHP Kyle Rowe (4-1) earned the win, holding the 'Cats scoreless over the final inning and a third. Freshman RHP Clark Beeker (2-2) took the loss, allowing four runs to score on three hits and a walk.

Right fielder Stryker Brown went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the first game to lead Georgia Southern, while senior right fielder Jake Berman went 2-for-4 with two RBI, including a solo home run, for the Wildcats.

A pair Davidson of errors led to the game-winning run scoring in the top of the sixth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie. Georgia Southern added a run in the eighth inning and three runs in the ninth inning, including a home run by Davis, for the final 8-3 score.

Georgia Southern scored two runs (one earned) in the first inning, but Davidson answered with an RBI-single by Berman in the third inning and a run scored on a double play. Burruss, who went 3-for-5 in the first game as well, drove in a run in the fourth inning to put the Eagles ahead 3-2, but Berman answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to even the game once again.

Sophomore RHP Danny Mooney will start for Davidson Saturday at 2 p.m. as the 'Cats look to deny the Eagles the series sweep.