MASTNY PITCHES FURMAN PAST WOFFORD 7-1 IN
SOCON BASEBALL ACTION FRIDAY
GREENVILLE -- Tom Mastny won his third straight decision by pitching a complete game four-hitter to lead Furman to a 7-1 win over Wofford in Southern Conference baseball action Friday night at Furman Stadium.
The win by Furman (28-21, 16-11 SoCon), its seventh straight over Wofford (16-26, 9-12 SoCon), moved the Paladins to within one victory of its single season record of 29 wins set in 1997.
Mastny (8-4), a sophomore righthander from Zionsville, Ohio, and the reigning league pitcher-of-the-week, held Wofford's offense in check by striking out four and walking none on the way to recording the first complete game of his career. In his previous start last Friday, Mastny pitched the Paladins to a 2-1 win over league frontrunner The Citadel in Charleston.
Wofford's only run off Mastny came in the fourth when Strat Stavrou scored on a fielder's choice to give the Terriers a 1-0 lead. Furman answered with two runs in the sixth to take a 2-1 lead on RBI doubles by Ryan Presnell and Danny Rueckel off Wofford starter and loser Tate Osterman (6-5).
In the seventh Furman struck for three more runs. With two outs and Adam Etherington on second base, Brandon Barrett singled to left field to plate Etherington. Derek Norman then drilled an Osterman delivery over the left centerfield fence for a two-run home run and a 5-1 Paladin lead.
Furman added two more runs in the eighth to make it a 7-1 contest on an RBI double by Richie Dean, who later scored on a wild pitch.
The Paladins tagged the Terriers for 11 hits in the game, including two each by Barrett, Norman, and Justin Maderer. Chad Livingston collected two of Wofford's four hits in the game.
Furman and Wofford continue the three-game weekend conference series on Saturday with a single game beginning at 6:00 p.m. and on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. contest.