FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 2-9-03

College Baseball: No. 25 AASU 11, Mars Hill 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Junior Jon Dobyns hurled seven no-hit innings, striking out 16, as the No. 25-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State baseball squad defeated Mars Hill, 11-1, at Pirate Field on Sunday afternoon to earn a weekend sweep of the Lions.

As a team, the Pirates (6-0) set a new school record by striking out 20 Mars Hill (0-5) batters. After Dobyns was pulled after reaching his pitch count following the seventh inning, junior Jon Troop struck out one in the eighth and junior Zach Shelnutt struck out the side in the ninth to set the record. The previous record of 19 K's was set on March 7, 1989, in a 17-0 win over Upper Iowa.

Dobyns (2-0) and the Pirates got all the offense they needed in the third inning when junior Stacy Bennett doubled home junior Michael Pelley with the first run of the game, then junior George Fletcher singled through the hole to drive home Bennett for the first two runs of the game. AASU then exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning as they sent 13 men to the plate, collecting seven hits and taking advantage of two Mars Hill errors.

A junior from Phoenix, Ariz., Dobyns allowed just one walk and one hit batter in his seven innings of work. His 16 strikeouts were one off the school record of 17. Sean Murphy (0-2) took the loss for Mars Hill, giving up five runs - eight earned - and 12 hits in three plus innings pitched.

Pelley and junior Andrew Graham each collected three hits on the day to lead the Pirates. The Lions' only run came in the eighth inning when Jason Yelton drove home Adam Hunter with an RBI double to right field.

The Pirates are next in action on Saturday, February 15, as they host Lewis University for an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -