FURMAN SPLITS CONFERENCE OPENER TWINBILL WITH APPALACHIAN STATE 14-3, 3-4
Greenville, S.C.--Furman exploded for eleven runs in the first two innings of game one en route to a 14-3 pounding of Appalachian State (3-8, 1-1 SoCon) before dropping the second game of the twinbill 4-3 in the first weekend of conference baseball action Saturday afternoon at Furman Baseball Stadium.
The Paladins jumped on the Mountaineers in the first inning of game one, scoring seven runs (only one earned) off five hits and one error. In the inning, Drew Latora and Cole Hubka both drove in one run, while Clint Hill and Brandon Barrett plated two runs each, forcing starting pitcher Monty Fast (0-2) from mound after two-thirds of an inning.
Danny Rueckel extended the Paladins' lead to 11-0 in the bottom of the second with a grand slam to left field, driving in Derek Norman, Dominic Frankey, and Ryan Presnell.
Furman starter Tom Mastny (2-1) scattered three hits and one run over six innings to pick up the first win of the double header
The Mountaineers struck first in game two as Clint Johns led-off the third inning with a home run down the left field line. Appalachian State extended its lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning after Graham Thompson singled off Corey Etheridge (1-2), driving in Johns and Brooks Halislp.
Furman (7-9, 1-1 SoCon) answered in the bottom of the fifth when Nick Wajda singled with the bases loaded off Brian Chapman (2-1) to drive in Brett Henninger and Ryan Presnell, cutting the Mountaineer lead to 4-2. The Paladins later added a run in the seventh on a Derek Norman ground-out.
The Paladins, however, were held scoreless over the final two innings by Matt Wood, who picked up his first save of the year.
The two teams conclude the series Sunday afternoon at Furman Baseball Stadium with a game scheduled for 1:00 p.m.