Bats come alive in five straight wins
The streak has pushed the Bobcats’ record to 6-4, including a 6-1 mark at home to start the season.
The team had a three-game streak going after sweeping a Valentine’s weekend series with Southern Connecticut State University in which the Bobcats scored 31 runs and were only challenged in the middle game, which they won 5-4.
After being shut out and stranding runners through each of the first seven innings in the first game on Tuesday, the Bobcats scored in the bottom of the eighth when junior infielder Brett George tripled to lead off, and later scored on junior center fielder Sean Harrell’s sacrifice fly, making it a 2-1 deficit. It defined what would ensue in the bottom of the ninth.
With one out, junior outfielder Kyle Allen coaxed a walk. After stealing second, he scored on senior catcher Pete Paris’s single, tying the game. Paris was then replaced by pinch runner Ryan Holland, a freshman utility player, who was caught stealing for the second out.
It seemed that the Bobcats had squandered their final opportunity, but Head Coach Tom Carty made two great managerial calls in the form of pinch hitters.
Carty first called on junior infielder Buddy Elmore, who promptly singled to right field. Then, he sent junior infielder Steve Muoio to the plate. Muoio proceeded to slam a 1-0 fastball over the fence in right field for a two-run, walk-off home run, much to the delight of the home crowd.
“I knew I needed extra focus for the at-bat, because I wanted to come up big for the team,” Muoio said. “I really just wanted to get to the next guy.”
The GCSU pitching staff were the unsung heroes of the game. Sophomore Alex Burkard and juniors Mike Tokessy, Ryan Tabor and Martin Dewald combined to limit the Pioneers to five hits and two runs, while issuing six walks. The four hurlers also combined for 15 strikeouts. Tokessy fanned seven in four innings, and he is yet to allow a run this season.
The Bobcats also played great defense, committing no errors in the field.
“If we pitch well and field well behind it, we’re in every game,” senior infielder Derek Johns said.
The second game was vastly different for the Bobcats. In an absolute blowout, the Bobcats flexed their offensive muscles, destroying the Pioneers 22-2. The base paths were more like a carousel for the Bobcats, who seemingly rounded them at will. Ten different Bobcats had at least one RBI, and 12 different players scored runs. Junior first baseman Matt Pitts homered and drove in four runs, and sophomore catcher Richard Pirkle hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to account for the game’s final four runs. Senior outfielder Danny McCorkell, Johns and Paris had big games, combining for eight RBI’s and seven runs on ten hits.
“It was good to see us break out offensively,” Carty said. “Our offense is getting guys on, stealing bases and getting the extra-base hit.”
The GCSU pitching staff turned in an even better performance in the second game. Junior Kyle Cravey, sophomore Ryan Parson, and juniors Andrew Harris and Clay Mobbs combined to allow just one earned run and three hits, while only walking two batters.
The Bobcats return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. to face conference rival Armstrong Atlantic State University at home in their first conference game of the season.
Carty first called on junior infielder Buddy Elmore, who promptly singled to right field. Then, he sent junior infielder Steve Muoio to the plate. Muoio proceeded to slam a 1-0 fastball over the fence in right field for a two-run, walk-off home run, much to the delight of the home crowd.
“I knew I needed extra focus for the at-bat, because I wanted to come up big for the team,” Muoio said. “I really just wanted to get to the next guy.”
The GCSU pitching staff were the unsung heroes of the game. Sophomore Alex Burkard and juniors Mike Tokessy, Ryan Tabor and Martin Dewald combined to limit the Pioneers to five hits and two runs, while issuing six walks. The four hurlers also combined for 15 strikeouts. Tokessy fanned seven in four innings, and he is yet to allow a run this season.
The Bobcats also played great defense, committing no errors in the field.
“If we pitch well and field well behind it, we’re in every game,” senior infielder Derek Johns said.
The second game was vastly different for the Bobcats. In an absolute blowout, the Bobcats flexed their offensive muscles, destroying the Pioneers 22-2. The base paths were more like a carousel for the Bobcats, who seemingly rounded them at will. Ten different Bobcats had at least one RBI, and 12 different players scored runs. Junior first baseman Matt Pitts homered and drove in four runs, and sophomore catcher Richard Pirkle hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth to account for the game’s final four runs. Senior outfielder Danny McCorkell, Johns and Paris had big games, combining for eight RBI’s and seven runs on ten hits.
“It was good to see us break out offensively,” Carty said. “Our offense is getting guys on, stealing bases and getting the extra-base hit.”
The GCSU pitching staff turned in an even better performance in the second game. Junior Kyle Cravey, sophomore Ryan Parson, and juniors Andrew Harris and Clay Mobbs combined to allow just one earned run and three hits, while only walking two batters.
The Bobcats return to action Saturday at 2 p.m. to face conference rival Armstrong Atlantic State University at home in their first conference game of the season.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Feb 20 2009. Filed under Sports.
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