PBC Tournament - UNC Pembroke Upsets Error-Prone GCSU 15-6

AIKEN, S.C. – Sixth-seeded UNC Pembroke took advantage of a variety of third-seeded Georgia College & State miscues in a 15-6 win that advanced them to the semifinal round of the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament at Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The 29th-ranked Braves will now face ninth-ranked and second-seeded Francis Marion in the first semifinal on Sunday, May 10. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m. on Sunday from Roberto Hernandez Stadium.

The victory improves the Braves to 37-16 in 2009, while the loss drops the Bobcats to 37-17. Ranked third in the latest Southeast Region poll, GCSU will now have to wait and see if they receive an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

Down 1-0 in the top of the third inning, UNC Pembroke capitalized on four Georgia College & State errors to take a 4-1 lead. The first two on base for UNC Pembroke in the frame reached base by error. Josh Haley netted the first run of the game for the Braves when he scored on an error by the GCSU shortstop. Haley had arrived on base himself on an error by the GCSU second baseman.

Acquiring a bunt single after Haley reached base on the error, Derek Funk also scored for the Braves on the same play as Haley to give UNC Pembroke a 2-1 lead.

Dietrich, who had advanced all the way to third on the play on the second error in the sequence that was made on a throwing error to the outfield by the GCSU catcher, scored when Seth Kivett grounded out shortly thereafter to the Bobcat shortstop.

Haley gave the Braves a 4-1 lead in the next inning when he singled in Jason Coker.

Despite six errors throughout the course of the first five innings, GCSU placed itself back into the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning with two runs. Derek Johns brought in the first run of the stanza for the Bobcats when he singled to right field to score Chandler Snell, who had opened the inning by singling to right center field.

Sean Harrell had followed up Snell’s single with one of his own up the middle. Johns’ single that scored Snell had allowed Harrell to move to third base. With Johns threatening to steal second the UNC Pembroke catcher lost sight of the baseball with the ball hitting off Edmund Locklear’s glove and going all the way to the backstop. Taking the opportunity, Harrell strolled home to pull the Bobcats within one at 4-3.

The score 4-3 in favor of UNC Pembroke with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, UNC Pembroke placed some distance between themselves and GCSU with a three-run rally to close the inning with a 7-4 advantage.

UNC Pembroke obtained its first run in the inning when Coker singled through the right side to bring in Dietrich.

The run forced GCSU to make a pitching change, but even with the Bobcats going with first team all-conference relief pitcher Martin Dewald the Braves were able to push across two more runs.

UNC Pembroke third baseman Tom Porricelli singled to left field to bring in the two runs that earned the Braves a 7-3 lead.

The Braves seemingly put the game out of reach in the top of the eighth with six runs. The inning’s noise ended when Funk brought in the sixth run in the stanza by tripling in Haley.

The score 13-3 in favor of UNC Pembroke, Georgia College & State would bring in two runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to 13-6. It would be a little too late though as UNC Pembroke would add another three runs in the top of the ninth to acquire the nine-run win.

UNC Pembroke scored 11 of their 15 runs in its final three at-bats.

Georgia College finished the game with 11 hits, but they also had seven errors in the game. The Braves ended the game with 15 hits and two errors.

Two Braves were able to collect three hits in the game with Coker and Haley all capturing two hits in the game.

Sean Harrell led the Bobcats with three hits. He was 3-for-4 with one run scored in total.

The 2009 Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, UNC Pembroke starter Matt McGovern improved to 9-0 on the year by pitching six innings of six-strikeout baseball. Ryan Kirkman dealt three innings in relief of McGovern to commandeer his 10th save of the season.

GCSU starter Dylan Lightell dropped to 4-5 in 2009 with the loss. Lightell pitched 5.2 innings, giving up four hits and four unearned runs. Lightell fanned three in the game.

Boxscore

UNCP Head Coach Paul O'Neil: “I thought at times we played well, and other times, we did not play well. I thought we took advantage of some mistakes by GCSU. At the end of the day, we beat a very good GCSU team. Did they play their best game of the year, certainly not, but did we play our best game of they year, by no means.”

GCSU Head Coach Tom Carty: "There’s not much you can do when you don’t play well defensively. It’s hard to beat anybody in the Peach Belt when you commit six errors in the first four innings. I thought we came in with a good game plan against McGovern. All in all we didn’t come ready to play and as head coach, I take full responsibility."