CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Sophomore right-handed pitcher Danny Ruecke tossed
seven innings of shutout relief while Clint Hill drove in a pair runs,
including the eventual game-winner, to lead Furman to a 7-3 victory
over UNC
Greensboro in Game 9 of the 2000 Wendyâs/Pepsi-Cola Southern
Conference Tournament Friday afternoon at Riley Park. The loss eliminated
the
Spartans from the championship event.
After Ryan Presnell gave the Paladins an early 2-0 lead with a
one-out, two-run double off Spartan starter Darin Phalines in the top
of
the first inning, UNC Greensboro answered with a pair of runs in the
bottom
of the second inning. Shane Schumaker cut the deficit to one
with a
bases-loaded sacrifice flyout to centerfield before Jeremy Purcell
evened the
contest with a run-scoring single against Furman starter Rusty Putnam.
The Spartans took a brief 3-2 lead an inning later when Chris
Mittendorf scored after Furman centerfielder Hill misplayed Kyle Tascoâs
double.
The Paladins reclaimed the lead with three runs in the fourth, taking
advantage of a pair of UNCG errors and timely hitting. James
Brightâs two-out single scored Cole Hubka, who had reached on
shortstop
Ramon Balderasâ miscue while Hill made it a 5-3 Furman lead by
chasing
Phalines with a two-run single to left-centerfield. A Hubka sacrifice
fly
in the fifth and a Chris Valdes RBI-single in the sixth increased the
Paladins lead to 7-3.
Rueckel (2-1), who started the game at shortstop and moved to the
mound in the third inning, allowed four hits and two walks while striking
out four.
Phalines (3-5) lasted just 3.2 innings and surrendered five hits,
five runs, three walks while fanning four.
Furman (25-30-1) advances to meet the winner of College of
Charleston-Appalachian State contest Friday at 7:30 p.m. UNC
Greensboro, which was ousted by the Paladins for the second consecutive
year,
finished its season with a 35-23 record.