Sam Pierce returned to the mound after a month absence to record his fourth win of the season. |
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Charlotte Baseball Wins Sixth Straight, 11-3 Over Presbyterian
May 12, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers continued their hot home ways by holding visiting Presbyterian to just four hits and winning their sixth straight contest by defeating the Blue Hose 11-3 Monday evening at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium in college baseball action. Charlotte improves to 38-13 overall, dropping the Blue Hose to 12-36.
The Niners scored three early runs in the first and never looked back. With one out, Shayne Moody doubled. Following a walk and a hit by pitch, the Niners got consecutive RBI from Alan Parks (single), Corey Shaylor (sacrifice fly) and Aaron Bray (single).
The Blue Hose were able to push across a run in the third after a Robert Anders single, Preston Simpson sacrifice bunt and Cory Lyda double down the right field line to make the score 3-1 Charlotte.
The 49ers scored three more runs in the bottom half, with Shaylor coming across on a Justin Wilson RBI single, Cory Tilton coming home on a wild pitch and Wilson scoring on an O'Brien Taylor sacrifice fly.
The fourth and fifth innings marked the return of a pair of Niners relievers. The fourth inning was pitched by Justin Duncan, who had been out since April 13. The fifth inning plus a batter in the sixth was tossed by Sam Pierce, who faced a pair of surgeries on his jaw, after taking a line drive to the face on April 12. Neither pitcher allowed a baserunner in their return, with Pierce striking out two.
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Charlotte got back on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Cory Tilton hit a leadoff triple and came home on an RBI groundout by Wilson. O'Brien Taylor walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Lyerly to increase the lead to 8-1.
The Blue Hose were able to scratch across a pair of unearned runs in the seventh on two Niners errors and a double by William Bolchoz to left center to make it 8-3.
In the bottom half, Charlotte was able to score three more runs as Rob Lyerly cleared the bases loaded with a double down the left field line to push the lead to the game's final margin of eight runs. Lyerly finished with the game-high of four RBI. It was Lyerly's Atlantic 10 Conference-leading 22nd double of the season. Lyerly has 37 extra-base hits of his 66 total this season and leads Charlotte with a .704 slugging percentage this season.
Moody collected three hits to lead all players. Four Niners scored two runs each.
Pierce got the win to push his season record to 4-0.
PC starter Jesse Harmon took the loss (1-8). In 2.2 innings pitched, he gave up six runs, four earned, on nine hits and two walks. He struck out one batter.
Charlotte is now 24-6 at home this season and 37-9 at home since opening the stadium last March 30, 2008. The Niners finish the regular season with three home conference games against Rhode Island, starting Thursday night at 6 p.m.
