CHARLESTON, SC – Senior Ryan Falcon struck out seven batters, while Tim Carrier and Ricky Orton each recorded a home run to lead fifth-seeded UNC Greensboro to a 9-3 win over fourth-seeded Appalachian State in the first round of the 2007 Southern Conference Tournament at Joe Riley Park.
Falcon scattered just five hits and gave up one run in seven innings of work en route to his eighth win of the season.
Jason Rook (6-7) took the loss after giving up six runs on seven hits in six innings on the mound.
UNCG (29-28) took an early three-run advantage in the visitor's half of the second. Brandon Harvey sent a one-out double deep to centerfield to score Sean Snell, who reached on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, Carrier laced a two RBI single to left-center, making it 3-0 Spartans. With the hit, Carrier extended his hitting streak to six games.
Appalachian State (32-25) struck for a run in the bottom of the fifth, cutting UNCG's lead to two. Tom Prosser led off the inning with a double down the rightfield line and advanced to third on a hit by Chris Baker. Nick DeRose plated Prosser on a sacrifice fly to right, 3-1 UNCG.
The Spartans pushed across five runs in the top of the seventh to take a 8-1 advantage. Corey Overholtzer led off with a walk before Carrier sent his sixth home run of the season to right-center. Orton added two more runs in the same inning with a two RBI double and came home on a sacrifice fly by Snell.
Orton put UNCG up 9-1 in the top of the ninth when the junior sent his sixth roundtripper of the season over the rightfield wall. ASU added two runs in the ninth to cut the Spartan lead to six. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Mountaineers scored on a Spartan double play and a sacrifice fly, leaving it 9-3 in favor of UNCG.
Carrier finished 2-for-5 with a game-high four RBI, while Orton went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in.
The Spartans return to the diamond on Thursday at 4 pm when they take on No. 9 Wofford at Riley Park. The Terriers defeated No. 1 College of Charleston on Wednesday, 19-6, to advance to the second round.
AGATE
Score by Innings R H E
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UNC Greensboro...... 030 000 501 - 9 9 1
Appalachian State... 000 010 002 - 3 8 0
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Pitchers: UNCG – Falcon; Starnes (8); Gibson (9)
Pitchers: ASU – Rook; Quate (7); Graves (8)
Win – Ryan Falcon (8-7). Loss – Jason Rook (6-7)
- UNCG -
