FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4-13-05

College Baseball: No. 23 AASU 7, Pfeiffer 5

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Brad Bohannon’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning snapped a 5-all tie and gave No. 23-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State a 7-5 collegiate baseball victory over Pfeiffer on Wednesday afternoon at Pirate Field.

The two-run shot capped a back-and-forth five innings to the ballgame as Armstrong Atlantic (25-9) first took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on freshman Jared Combs’ solo home run, but Pfeiffer (18-29) came back to take a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning on Brian York’s grand slam home run.

The Falcons lead was short lived as the Pirates scored once in the third on Miguel Donate’s RBI groundout, then scored three times in the bottom of the fourth. AASU loaded the bases against Pfeiffer reliever Spencer Anthony (4-5) with two out, then Anthony hit Rob Recuenco with a pitch to drive in one, and Adam Pelley followed with a two-run RBI single to center field to give the Pirates back the lead at 5-4.

Pfeiffer tied the game up in the top of the fifth on Jamie Tucker’s two-out RBI single that scored Mike McClain, setting up Bohannon’s game-winning shot in the bottom of the fifth. After that, the Pirates turned to relievers Leon Boyd and Matt Nalutka, who combined to hurl four innings of three-hit shutout ball, striking out seven to preserve the victory for Austin Ducey (1-0), who pitched 2 1/3 innings of one-run ball for his first collegiate win. Anthony suffered the loss in relief for Pfeiffer, pitching 1 1/3 innings and giving up five hits and five runs.

McClain had two doubles and scored twice for the Falcons in addition to York’s grand slam, while the Pirates had three players collect two hits on the day – Jonnie Geiger, Bohannon and Brandon Nunez

AASU returns to action on Saturday, April 16, as the Pirates host Columbus State in a 1:00 p.m. Peach Belt Conference doubleheader at Pirate Field.

- Pirates -