April 16, 2008

FSU Downs Florida 4-2 Behind Complete Game By Ryan Strauss

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Second-ranked Florida State (32-3) captured its first regular season series victory over intra-state rival and No. 24 Florida (24-13) since 2005 with a 4-2 win Tuesday night. A new Dick Howser Stadium crowd of 6,737 were on hand to see senior Ryan Strauss pick up his second straight win over the Gators this year while throwing his first career complete game.

"Florida State, Florida is enough said," added head coach Mike Martin on taking the season series from the Gators. "Florida has a great ball club and we were very fortunate to win. We executed very well offensively and you have to give Florida credit. They kept the ball game close throughout by making some very good pitching decisions."

"Ryan Strauss is a bulldog," said Martin. "Ryan Strauss really showed what he is all about tonight. He pitched really well and it was a good start to an extremely tough week."

Fedroff's Cycle Sparks No. 4 Tar Heels Past UNCG

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Right fielder Tim Fedroff hit for the cycle and drove in three runs, and utility man Kyle Shelton tallied a career-best four RBI in a 14-3 win for No. 4 North Carolina over UNC Greensboro Tuesday at UNCG Baseball Stadium. Both Fedroff and Shelton homered as the Tar Heels (30-7) matched a season high with eight extra-base hits against the Spartans (22-13).

Fedroff, who was 4-for-4 with two walks and three runs scored to go along with the three RBI, tripled in the first, doubled in the second and belted a two-run homer in the five-run fourth inning. After a sixth-inning walk, the Flagtown, N.J., product beat out an infield single in the eighth to complete the cycle.

Shelton, who played left field, first base and third base on the night, was 3-for-6 with two runs scored to push his career-best hitting streak to eight games. The Charlotte native needed just three at-bats to establish his career high in RBI. He jump-started the Tar Heel offense with a two-run home run in the first and followed with an RBI single in the second and a run-scoring double in the fourth. The home run was just the second of his career and first since March 17, 2006, against Maryland.

Maryland Sets School Record With 12th Straight Non-Conference Win, 15-2, at UMBC

BALTIMORE, Md. - The University of Maryland baseball team broke the school record for consecutive non-conference victories with 12, winning 15-2 at UMBC Tuesday evening. The Terps twice scored six runs in an inning, led by a 3-for-3 performance by senior Chad Durakis and a grand slam by sophomore AJ Casario.

The game was scoreless through three full innings, but the Terps (21-17) figured out UMBC starter David Divita in the top of the fourth.

Jensen Pupa (Germantown, Md./Northwest) led off with a single and was followed by a Mike Murphy (Silver Spring, Md./Georgetown Prep) single, putting two runners on base with no outs. Durakis (Cockeysville, Md./St. Paul's) put the Terps on the board with an RBI double down the left-field line, making it 1-0 Terps with still no outs.

After a walk to load the bases, center fielder Nick Jowers (Beltsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) hit a potential double-play ball to third base. However, the Terps caught a break when third baseman's Steve Russo's throw home was in the dirt, allowing Murphy to score the second run of the inning.

Wolfpack Holds on for 7-6 Victory over ECU

RALEIGH, N.C. - For the second year in a row, Marcus Jones found a little inspiration on "Jackie Robinson Day."

Last year, Jones broke out of a month-long slump with four hits, including a home run, and three RBIs in an April 15 game against Miami, as Major League Baseball celebrated the 60th anniversary of Robinson's first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Over the final 25 games of the season, Jones hit .374, had 10 extra-base hits and 19 RBIs, igniting a moribund Wolfpack offense.

Tuesday night against East Carolina, Jones again paid homage to the man who broke baseball's color barrier by reaching base three times in four at-bats and hitting his fifth home run of the season, as the Wolfpack survived a 7-6 thriller over East Carolina in front of a sold-out crowd at Doak Field at Dail Park.

Duke No Hits N.C. Central In Game Two To Sweep Double Header

DURHAM, N.C. - Nate Freiman went a combined 6-for-9 with a grand slam and seven RBI while three Blue Devils combined for a no-hitter in game two as Duke defeated N.C. Central 8-2 and 22-0 in a pair of seven-inning games Tuesday evening at Jack Coombs Field.

Freiman went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs in game one and followed with seven RBI in a 3-for-5 outing in game two that featured his first career grand slam. The four-run homer was Duke's first grand slam since Jimmy Gallagher accomplished the feat on March 15, 2006. The outing was also the second seven-RBI performance of the season for Freiman, who is batting .455 with 11 RBI since returning to the starting lineup five games ago.

Even more impressive than Freiman's offensive day was the collective effort of pitchers Christopher Manno, John Bunder (1-0) and Ron Causey, who combined for a no-hitter in game two.

Homers Lead Western Carolina Past Clemson 6-2 Tuesday

CLEMSON, S.C. - Western Carolina hit two homers on its way to a 6-2 win over Clemson on Tuesday night in front of 3,674 fans at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Catamounts improved to 17-18, while the Tigers dropped to 18-18.

Catamount reliever Drew Saberhagen (3-3) pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out one to earn the win. Tyler Sexton picked up his second save of the season by pitching the final 1.1 innings without giving up a run.

Barrett Shaft finished the contest 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBIs, while Reid Rollison went 3-for-3 with a solo homer. Five different Tigers tallied one hit apiece.

Matt Vaughn (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out three in 4.0 innings pitched.

Wake Forest Falls to Davidson, 9-3

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Davidson's Matt Webb went 3 for 4 and drove in five runs to lead the Wildcats to a 9-3 victory over Wake Forest Tuesday night at Wilson Field in Davidson, N.C.

Mike Murray homered to right-center field in the top of the fifth inning. The sophomore catcher now has four homeruns on the year.

The Deacs jumped out to an early lead when first baseman Allan Dykstra doubled down the first baseline to score centerfielder Ben Terry, who led off the inning and was hit by pitch. Wake led 1-0 after Dykstra's 21st RBI of the season.

Four-Run Eighth Lifts No. 19 Coastal Carolina to Win at No. 16 UVa

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - No. 19 Coastal Carolina scored four runs in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 deadlock and win, 8-3, Tuesday night at No. 16 Virginia in baseball action at Davenport Field. A replay of the game can be viewed at ACCSelect.com.

Dan Grovatt (Fr., Tabernacle, N.J.) and Corey Hunt (So., Charlottesville, Va.) each had two hits for the Cavaliers. David Anderson recorded three hits and two RBI for Coastal Carolina.

Pete Andrelczyk (2-0) earned the win for Coastal with 2.1 innings of relief. He allowed two earned runs and four hits. Jake Cowan (Fr., Roswell, Ga.), the third of seven UVa pitchers, took the loss and fell to 2-1 after allowing three earned runs, two hits and a walk in 1.1 innings.

Virginia (29-10) drew first blood with a run in the third inning on a two-out double by Tyler Cannon (So., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) to plate Hunt, who hit an infield single to lead off.