WCU, Georgia Southern divide two baseball games

GSU took a 4-3 win April 10, but WCU bounced back with a 13-7 victory the next day.

Western failed to hold a 3-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth in the series opener. Jay Fields tripled, and Michael Nelson followed with a single up the middle. Josh Vandiver's double tied the game 3-3.

Nelson led off the eighth with a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a grounder and scored on a wild pitch.

Ronnie Robinson went the distance for the win. He scattered nine hits while walking four and striking out five. Only one WCU run was earned.

Ryan Foster (1-3) was the loser in relief.

Nelson had three hits in four at-bats, and Fields was two of four.

Western's Alan Beck and Michael Roane were two of three, and Donovan Minero was two of four. Todd Buchanan had a career-high five hits, and Matt Price drove in three runs leading the Cats to a 13-7 victory on April 11.

RBI singles by Vandiver and Fields gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead after two innings.

Western tied the game with two runs in the third. Buchanan had an RBI double, and Minero delivered a run-scoring single.

The Cats went ahead 6-2 with a four-run fifth. Brian Sigmon singled in two of the runs, and Price homered with a man on base.

Kyle Breitbach's RBI single cut the gap to 6-3 after five.

An RBI double by Price made it 7-3 in the seventh.

Western sealed the win with six runs in the ninth to take a 13-3 advantage. Ryan Schade and Rod Goldston both singled in a pair of runs, and Todd Roper had a two-run double.

Georgia State rallied with four runs in the bottom of the ninth but came up short. Vandiver's two-run homer was the big hit. Garrett Greer and Corey Chatman each had RBI singles.

Jeff Skinner (1-0) pitched two and a third innings in relief to earn the win. Jason Payne took the loss.

Roper, Goldston, Price and Schade all had two hits.

Vandiver paced the Panthers by going three of five. Fields, Mic Knox and Breitbach had two hits apiece.

Back to Sports: 04/19/01.