February 7, 2007

Game 1 Boxscore
Game 2 Boxscore

TIGERVILLE, S.C.—The St. Andrews Presbyterian College baseball team opened up the 2007 season with a pair of scheduled 7-inning games at North Greenville University. In the first game the Crusaders edged the Knights 4-3 in eight innings but SAPC dominated the nightcap 8-2 to earn the split at Ashmore Field Wednesday.

Game 1: North Greenville 4, St. Andrews 3 (8 innings)

NGU jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the opener with three runs on five hits in the bottom of the first.

Senior designated hitter Cliff Allred (Franklinville, N.C.) tied the game up at 3-3 with one swing of the bat in the fourth. Junior Eric Stone (Laurinburg, N.C.) led off with a single to right followed by a junior Michael Eastwood (Grantsboro, N.C.) walk sending Allred to the plate. The four-year veteran entered 2007 with 27 career home runs at SAPC and looks to continue that trend drilling the three-run blast over the left field fence.

Neither team could plate a run in the final three innings of regulation sending the contest into extra innings. The Knights had potentially the best opportunity to score with a two-out bases loaded rally in the top of the seventh but the Crusaders escaped the threat with a fly out.

North Greenville finally ended the game in the eighth when Curt Marshall hit a one-out, bases-loaded single to center that plated Cory Hinton from third.

Freshman Jordan Cudney (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss for the Knights after allowing the leadoff walk in the eighth. Cudney had two strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings of work while junior starter B.J. Horne (Hamlet, N.C.) allowed three runs on six hits over five innings of work while fanning a pair.

Game 2: St. Andrews 8, North Greenville 2

St. Andrews posted eight runs on 13 hits in the finale to earn the split. A freshman Jonathan Ramkissoon (Dallas, N.C.) gave the Knights a quick 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI fielders choice with the bases juiced. Ramkissoon kept it going starting a three-run fourth with his first collegiate home run. The right fielder ripped the solo shot to left field with one out.

Leading 4-0, the Knights doubled up their score with four more runs in the fifth. Eastwood had a run-producing double down the left field line; Ramkissoon collected his third and fourth RBI of the game with a two-run double to left field; and junior Josh Day (Bessemer, N.C.) capped the fifth with an RBI-single.

The Crusaders broke up the shutout attempt with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore starter Ryan Kirkman (Liberty, N.C.) went five strong innings to earn the victory. Kirkman scattered just three hits and walked none while striking out one. Senior Mike Mianulli (Ellicott City, Md.) and freshman Mark Dlugokienski ( Naples, Fla.) each fanned one batter in one inning of work apiece.

For the day, Stone led the Knights offense going 5-for-8 (all singles) while crossing home plate three times.

St. Andrews will visit non-conference Francis Marion University (Florence, S.C.) on Friday afternoon at 12 Noon.