May 5, 2002
FURMAN SPLITS TWINBILL WITH THE CITADEL 5-7, 5-0; COACH RON SMITH NOTCHES 200TH CAREER WIN WITH VICTORY
Greenville, S.C.-- A six-run eighth inning powered The Citadel past Furman in game one of the double header 7-5, but Jeff Stovall pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits as the Paladins took game two 5-0 Sunday afternoon at Furman Baseball Stadium. With the win Coach Ron Smith notched his 200th career victory.
Smith is only the second coach in the history of Furman to reach to the 200 win career mark. Tom Wall, the all-time winningest coach in Furman Baseball history, was the only other coach to reach 200 career wins.
Furman (20-26, 11-13) jumped on the Bulldogs' starter Raymond Jenkins in the first inning. After a lead-off walk to Clint Hill, Craig Caudill doubled down the right field line. Derek Norman followed with a single to score Hill, giving the Paladins a 1-0 advantage. Later a sacrifice fly by Coogie Freedman allowed Caudill to cross the plate, pushing the lead to 2-0.
The Paladins struck again in the third inning as Norman reached on a field choice, scoring Hill from third to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Bulldogs scored their first run of the game in the sixth inning after Will Coker blasted a home run off Furman starter Corey Etheridge to cut the lead to 4-1, ending a 14 inning drought without a run scored against the Paladins. However, Furman scored a run in the bottom of the sixth off Matt Hamer (8-2) as Ryan Presnell nailed a home run to left field, giving the Paladins a 5-1 advantage.
The Citadel (26-20,19-8) finally got their bats going in the eighth inning, scoring six runs off five hits and two Paladin errors. Coker began the scoring with a single to left field to drive in Brook Dantzler. Chris Ard followed with a double to left field to plate Bo Southard, cutting the lead to 5-3. After the Ard double, Etheridge was relieved by Danny Rueckel (4-5), who went on to give up three runs (two earned) to allow the Bulldogs to take a 7-5 lead.
Randy Corn pitched the final two innings, allowing no hits, while striking out one to seal the victory and pick up the12th save.
In game two, Furman again scored quickly, plating a run in the second and third innings off starter Eric Talbert (5-4) to take a 2-0 lead.
Like Tom Mastny on Saturday, Jeff Stovall dominated the Bulldogs on the mound, retiring the first ll batters before giving up a hit.
In the fifth inning, the Paladins put the game away as Drew Latora blasted a three-run home run to left field, extending the lead to 5-0.
Stovall retired the side in the seventh inning to seal his fourth victory of
the year and lower his ERA to 1.32.
The Citadel returns to action on Tuesday when they face Winthrop at Joe Riley Park in a 5:00 p.m. contest. Furman next faces High Point on Wednesday at Alumni Field. The first pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m.