FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-20-04

College Baseball: No. 4 AASU 7, No. 15 Florida Southern 6

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State junior Leon Boyd hurled eight strong innings and the No. 4-ranked Pirates withstood a ninth-inning rally to defeat No. 15 Florida Southern, 7-6, in the opening game of the 2004 Diamond Classic at Pirate Field on Friday afternoon.

Boyd (3-0) gave up just five hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out five in taking a 7-2 lead into the ninth inning for the Pirates (8-1), but Florida Southern rallied for five hits and four runs in the top of the ninth and had the tying run on third base when reliever Brett Hart struck out Moc center fielder Gilbert Martinez to end the game. Hart picked up his second save, while Florida Southern starter Ryan Thompson (0-2) was saddled with the loss, giving up six hits and six runs – four earned – and walking three in three innings pitched.

Right fielder Brandon Nunez was the hitting star of the day for the Pirates, going 4-for-4 with four RBI. Moved up from ninth in the batting order to sixth after regular left fielder Brandon McKinnon couldn’t start the game due to illness, Nunez hit a two-run single in the first inning to put the Pirates up, 2-0, then blasted a two-run double in the third inning as the Pirates built a 6-0 lead.

Florida Southern (5-5-1) scratched two across in the top of the fourth, but the Pirates got one back in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Michael Pelley to make the score 7-2, where it remained until the ninth inning.

Four Moc players – Matt Mercurio, Fred Popp, Nick Diyorio and Kyle Kelley – collected two hits on the day. Steven Kinney added an RBI double for the Pirates to go with Nunez’ 4-for-4 day.

Florida Southern will play Missouri-St. Louis at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday in continuing 2004 Diamond Classic action, while the Pirates will host Missouri-St. Louis at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

- Pirates -