May 10, 2003
MASTNY HURLS COMPLETE GAME THREE-HITTER IN 8-0 FURMAN WIN OVER EAST TENNESSEE STATE
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Tom Mastny pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout and recorded a career high 12 strikeouts in leading Furman to an 8-0 Southern Conference win over East Tennessee State Saturday evening at Furman Stadium.
In improving his record to 10-2 on the season and 8-0 versus conference competition, Mastny, a senior righthander from Zionsville, Ind., one-hit the Buccaneers until allowing a pair of singles in the ninth. He faced only three batters over the minimum while lowering his league leading earned run average to 1.17. The complete game was his seventh route job of the campaign and followed a three-hit, eight inning performance in a 6-0 decision over Davidson on May 3. He has not allowed an earned run in his last 19 1/3 innings work.
The victory was the third in as many nights for Furman (27-21, 16-13 SoCon), which knocked off Clemson 10-8 on Thursday and East Tennessee State 3-2 on Friday.
The loss was the fifth straight for the Buccaneers (14-32, 9-16 SoCon), who slipped one half game behind Davidson for the eighth and final qualifying spot for the Southern Conference Tournament scheduled for Charleston’s Joseph Riley Park beginning on May 21.
Furman struck for a pair of runs in the second off Buccaneer starter and loser Jeremy Hall (0-4). With one out Sam McLain belted a solo home run to right field. Cole Hubka then tripled with two outs and came home after East Tennessee State third baseman Shane Byrne misplayed a grounder off the bat of Andrew Greene.
The Paladins stretched their advantage to 3-0 an inning later when Dominic Frankey doubled down the left field line with two outs to plate Clint Hill for the Paladins’ second unearned run. Later in the fifth Hill led off with a double to left center and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Buccaneer reliever Steven Callicutt. Derek Norman followed with a single to center past a drawn in Buccaneer infield to make it 4-0.
Mastny didn’t surrender his first hit until the sixth inning when Bo Calloway led off the frame with a single, but two batters later Andy Howdeshell grounded into an inning ending double play.
Furman made it 5-0 in the sixth on an sacrifice fly by A.J. Davidiuk, and tacked on its final three runs in the ninth courtesy of a balk and a two-run single by Craig Caudill.
Hill led Furman’s 11-hit attack with a 2-for-4 performance and three runs scored. Norman, Frankey, and Greene also collected a pair of base knocks and Caudill added two RBI.
Mastny’s 10 wins in 2003 are the second most by a Furman pitcher, and his third shutout of the season tied the school mark achieved by John Katona in 1970 and 1971. Mastny’s 27 career victories are also second all-time at Furman, as are his 293 strikeouts.
The Paladins and Buccaneers play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday, with first pitched scheduled for 1:00 p.m.