FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-18-06

College Baseball: No. 15 AASU 8-9, No. 25 Southern Connecticut State 7-6

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic scored seven runs over the final two innings to erase a 6-2 deficit and come away with a 9-6 victory over Southern Connecticut State, sweeping a doubleheader from the Owls at Pirate Field on Saturday afternoon. AASU held on in the first game, edging the Owls, 8-7.

The No. 25-ranked Owls (0-2) led it, 6-2, after the seventh inning of game two when the Pirates (7-0-1) began a two-out rally against SCSU starter Matt Hennessey. Sean Hotzak singled and Daniel Heflin walked, leading up to Jarin Lewis’ two-run triple to left center, scoring both Hotzak and Heflin and bringing the Pirates to within two. Joey Davis singled past the diving shortstop to score Lewis and cut the lead to 6-5.

In the bottom of the eighth, Truman Marek singled home Jared Combs with the game-tying run, then Heflin drove home two with a double to right field to put the Pirates up, 8-6. Davis followed with his second RBI single of the day to give AASU the three-run lead. The late offense made a winner out of reliever Austin Ducey (1-0), who hurled 4 2/3 innings of four-hit, one-run ball, striking out six. Vyt Rivers picked up the save in the ninth with 2/3 innings of shutout ball, while Mike Connors (0-1) took the loss, giving up two runs in 1/3 inning pitched.

In the first game, the Pirates erased a 3-1 lead with a five-run sixth inning, keyed by extra-base hits by Josh Dallas, Truman Marek and Jarin Lewis, then watched the Owls close to within one in the ninth. Nick Czekaj’s two-run home run made the score 8-7, but Rivers struck out Sean Morgan looking to end the game, picking up the save and giving AASU the win.

Lewis had a monster day at the plate for the Pirates, going 6-for-8 in the doubleheader with a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and five RBI. Jose Ortiz, Jr., matched Lewis for the Owls with a 6-for-9 day and five RBI, including a three-run home run in game two.

Redshirt freshman Brett Lane (1-0) hurled 1 1/3 scoreless relief in game one to pick up his first collegiate win for the Pirates, while Jeff Farrell (0-1) took the loss, giving up five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings pitched. The two teams will close out their four-game series with a single game on Sunday beginning at Noon.

- Pirates -