College Baseball: No. 22 AASU 5-6, UNC Pembroke 1-5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-13-08

College Baseball: No. 22 AASU 5-6, UNC Pembroke 1-5

SAVANNAH, Ga. (March 29) – The Armstrong Atlantic State baseball squad stretched its Peach Belt Conference win streak to six with a doubleheader sweep of visiting UNC Pembroke on Saturday afternoon at Pirate Field. The No. 22-ranked Pirates took game one, 5-1, then held off the Braves in game two, 6-5.

The Pirates (21-8, 9-5 PBC) snapped a 1-1 tie in game one with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, then tacked on two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-1 win. Cody Walden (5-2) limited the Braves to five hits and one run over 7 1/3 innings, striking out four, while Brandon McCreery hurled 1 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the save.

UNC Pembroke (21-17, 5-9 PBC) hurler Justin Yow (4-5) took the loss, giving up seven hits and five runs – just one earned – in six innings. Joey Davis launched a solo home run for the Pirates in game one, while Kenny Cail and Chris Smith had two hits. Jon-Jon Mirra collected two hits, including a double, for UNCP.

In game two, AASU jumped on freshman starter Josh Bagley (5-1) early, putting up three first-inning runs, keyed by an RBI single by Tommy Ray and a two-RBI single by Nick Pyron. A two-run home run by Jason Morales in the top of the fifth made it a 3-2 contest, but the Pirates stretched the lead to three heading into the top of the ninth inning.

With McCreery in again to preserve the lead, UNCP’s Keith Whitman launched a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to close to within one run, 6-5, but McCreery induced back-to-back popups to end the ballgame and collect his second save of the doubleheader. Jeff Chase (4-1) scattered 12 hits over 7 2/3 innings – his longest outing of the season – giving up two earned runs and striking out five for the win. Bagley suffered the loss for UNCP, giving up 10 hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Josh Wilson collected three hits, including two doubles, in game two to lead the Pirates, while Morales finished the game 3-for-4 with a double and the home run.

The two teams wrap up their three-game PBC series on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. contest.

- Pirates -