Senior catcher Chris Taylor hit two home runs to give him five on the season in Charlotte's 10-9 win in ten innings Saturday. |
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Taylor Belts Two Homers In Charlotte's 10-9 Comeback Win Over Saint Louis
March 22, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Senior catcher Chris Taylor belted two home runs and Shayne Moody lifted a two-RBI double to left center in the tenth as Charlotte came back to defeat Saint Louis 10-9 in extra innings Saturday afternoon at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium in Atlantic 10 baseball action. The 49ers are now 16-2 overall, 2-0 in league play this season. Saint Louis drops to 8-10, 0-2 in Atlantic 10 play.
Charlotte has won all 14 home games this season, and their last 16 in a row at home, dating back to last season. The Niners are 27-3 at home since the ballpark opened last March 30.
Saint Louis was in command early and led until the latter innings. Catcher Casey Moore hit a two-RBI double down the third base line to score two, with a Charlotte error resulting in another run to put the Billikens up 3-0
Charlotte scored in the second when designated hitter Rob Lyerly hit an RBI double down the first base line to score outfielder Alan Parks, who had walked.
The Billikens extended the lead to 4-1 on a pair of singles and an RBI double by second baseman Andrew Guerra in the third inning.
Charlotte got that run back on a solo home run by center fielder Brad McElroy to right field. The blast was his third of the season.
Taylor's first homer came with two outs in the sixth, when he sent the 1-0 pitch from starter Scott Turmail into the trees beyond the left field fence to cut the lead to two.
Taylor dropped a fly ball for the third out in the seventh, which resulted in three unearned runs by the Billikens in the inning, two coming on a double from pinch hitter Ramee Tacoub to make it a 7-3 game.
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Charlotte tied the contest in the bottom of the eighth. Third baseman Aaron Bray hit a leadoff single, and Moody followed with one of his own for McElroy, who doubled them both home. Taylor hit that second homer to left to tie the game. The Niners earned a hit and two intentional walks in the ninth, but could not win the game in regulation.
Saint Louis was able to score two in the tenth on a two-run homer by Zach Outman, who pitched six innings in yesterday's Charlotte win. It was his first home run of the season and second hit of the 2008 campaign.
Charlotte got the bases loaded in the tenth on two walks and a hit batter for Bray, who walked to get the game to within one for Moody, who lifted the 3-1 pitch from Brad Perkins over the drawn-in outfield to win the game.
Charlotte reliever Sam Pierce was the recipient of the win (3-0). He threw the last 3.1 innings, allowing six hits, but recording five strikeouts. Two of the three runs charged to him were earned.
Saint Louis reliever B.J. Rodrigue took the loss. He gave up a walk and the hit batter in the tenth. He drops to 2-2 on the season.
Four Billikens had two hits, with Moore finishing 3-for-4 on the day. He drove in three runs to lead the team. McElroy and Taylor both finished with three RBI and two hits, while Moody had three hits to lead the 49ers.
Charlotte starter Andrew Smith nearly doubled his season strikeout total, with a career-best seven punchouts in six innings pitched. With Pierce's five, Charlotte pitching struck out a season-best 12 hitters.
The Niners and Billikens finish the weekend series with a noon game on Easter Sunday.
NOTES: The two-homer game was Taylor's second this season, and his third in his last 20 games, dating back to the NCAA Regional last June. He hit two homers at No. 3 South Carolina on March 5 and in Columbia against N.C. State last June 3.
Charlotte has won both of its extra-inning games this season. Charlotte defeated Cleveland State 3-2 on February 29 at home. Charlotte was 4-2 in extra-inning games last season. The Niners have trailed in 13 games this season, winning 11 of those contests.
