April 7, 2008

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NOTE: Release contributed by Barton Sports Information

WILSON, N.C.—Senior Eric Stone (Laurinburg, N.C.) led the St. Andrews baseball team with four hits, three runs scored, and two stolen bases but host Barton College sweep a three-game Conference Carolinas series. The Bulldogs (26-22 overall; 10-11 conf.) won Sunday’s doubleheader 9-7 and 6-1 before winning Monday’s series finale 17-2 over the Knights (13-30; 6-18) at Nixon Field.

St. Andrews hosts non-conference Francis Marion University, ranked No. 30 in the current PING Baseball National Poll, on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.

Barton jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead in the first game and never trailed. SAPC scored seven runs in the sixth and seventh innings and had the tying runs aboard in the ninth before Nick Nigito came in to retire the final batter and earn his fifth save. Brandon Brinson (5-2) was the winning pitcher in six innings of action. He scattered six hits and struck out two. T.J. Chrusch took the loss, allowing 11 hits, walking two and fanning three in going the full six innings.

Zach Boyette, Jimmy Metzinger, Michael Parker and Will Johnson all batted 2-for-3 to pace the victorious Bulldogs. Parker hit a two-run homer in the second inning. Barton plated six runs in the first inning on six hits, one error and two walks. Boyette, Metzinger and Ryan McCleney singled in one run, Brandon Sneed singled in two and Johnson finished off the uprising with an RBI single.

In the SAPC sixth, Jeremy Fisher singled in a run and Michael Eastwood doubled in two. The Knights added four more runs in the seventh on seven hits and one Barton error. J.T. Maguire doubled home one run, Fisher doubled in two more and Eastwood had a two-out, RBI single. A deep flyout to center field left the tying runs aboard for SAPC.

In the second game, senior right-hander Chris Hill (3-5) shut down the Knights with a complete-game four-hitter. He struck out two and walked none while facing just 24 batters. Kyle Cummings (2-5) got the loss in five innings of work. He yielded five runs (three earned) on eight hits.

Barton again jumped the Knights early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Boyette doubled in Travis Holloman, who had walked, then stole second. Barrett Martin lofted a sacrifice fly and Jeremy Tucker singled in a run. SAPC got its lone run in the third when Eric Stone singled, stole second and scored on Maguire's single.  

The Bulldogs made it 4-1 in their half of the third on an Aaron Watkins walk, singles by Parker and an RBI double-play ball by Martin. Barton finished off the scoring with two runs in the sixth. Johnson tripled to left-center and came home on a double by Watkins, who scored after a throwing error. Barton stranded eight base runners for the game while SAPC left just two.

Boyette and McCleney wound up with two hits apiece for Barton. Martin had 2RBI.

Senior outfielder Michael Parker homered, doubled and drove in five runs in a 4-for-6 performance Monday afternoon to lead the Barton College baseball team to a 17-2 win over St. Andrews Presbyterian College at Nixon Field.

The victory gave the Bulldogs (26-22 overall) a three-game series sweep of the Knights (13-30). Barton rose to 10-11 in Conference Carolinas while SAPC slipped to 6-18. Barton is home with Catawba on Tuesday and Francis Marion on Wednesday in non-conference action. Both games start at 3 p.m.

St. Andrews claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Barton tallied five in the third, three apiece in the fifth and sixth innings, five in the seventh and one more in the eighth for a 17-1 lead. SAPC added a final run in the ninth.

Sam Pepper got the first mound start of his career for Barton and responded with a three-hit outing over seven innings. He struck out six and walked two. Patrick Sherrill tossed the final two innings. He yielded one hit and one run while fanning one.

The Bulldogs outhit St. Andrews 16-4. Shortstop Aaron Watkins and designated hitter Jimmy Metzinger each logged three hits and 2RBI. First baseman Ryan McCleney added two hits. Allen Corbett and Brandon Sneed also homered for the Bulldogs and Metzinger and Watkins doubled.

For St. Andrews, B.J. Horne had two doubles. The Knights utilized five pitchers. Horne (3-5), the starter, lasted five innings. He scattered seven hits, allowed eight runs, struck out two and walked three.