FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-18-05

College Baseball: AASU 8, Southern Connecticut State 0

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior Chase Leatherwood hurled eight shutout innings and the Pirates put up a pair of four-run innings as Armstrong Atlantic State picked up an 8-0 collegiate baseball victory over Southern Connecticut State at Pirate Field on Friday afternoon.

Leatherwood gave up just five hits and struck out seven Owls batters in improving to 3-0 on the young season, and got all the offense from the Pirates in the fourth and fifth innings in the victory. AASU (6-0) loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth against Southern Connecticut State lefthander Matt Hennessey. A fielder’s choice by Sean Hotzak drove in the first run of the game, then Devon Franklin’s bunt RBI single and two throwing errors by the Owls cleared the bases and gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead.

AASU then loaded the bases again in the bottom of the fifth and got an RBI single by Hotzak and a two-RBI single by Franklin to break the game wide open and give the Pirates an eight-run lead. Hennessey (0-1) gave up nine hits and eight runs – five earned – in 4 1/3 innings pitched to take the loss in the Owls’ season opener.

Senior Rob Recuenco led the Pirates offensively by going 4-for-4, while Franklin collected three hits and drove in two runs. Mel Davis had the only multi-hit day for the Owls, going 2-for-4.

The Pirates and the Owls will play the second game of their three-game series at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -