Tuesday, February 15, 2005
#4 AUGUSTA STATE RALLIES PAST BLUE HOSE
AUGUSTA,
Ga. -- Augusta State senior catcher Sam Barth
delivered an RBI-single to centerfield in his first at-bat
Tuesday afternoon to extend his hitting streak to 42 games,
establishing a new Peach Belt Conference record, as the
Diamond Jaguars rallied for a 5-4 win over Presbyterian at
Jaguar Field.
The victory, the Jags' sixth straight, lifted their record to
7-1. The loss dropped Presbyterian to 2-6.
Junior lefthander David Beumel picked up the win in
relief of starter Bryan Sastre. Beumel hurled 4.1
innings of one-hit ball, striking out one and walking one.
Senior righty Steven Spragg worked a perfect ninth to
earn his first save for the Jags. Reliever Eric
Tatum took the loss for Presbyterian.
ASU trailed 4-1 before pulling even with a three-run rally in
the bottom of the fifth. Senior leftfielder Brandon Sumlin
doubled to rightfield before senior second baseman Lee Rose
singled to right. Rose stole second, and when Presbyterian
catcher Robert Rodebaugh's
throw got away from second baseman Donald
Sheppard, Sumlin scored to pull ASU to within 4-2. Barth
then lined a triple down the rightfield line to plate Rose
before junior first baseman Dustin Rucker's sacrifice
fly to left scored Barth and knotted the game at 4-all.
The Jags took the lead in the seventh after Sumlin reached on
a leadoff single to left. After stealing second, Sumlin
advanced to third on Barth's fielder's choice. Rucker's
fielder's choice to third plated Sumlin and gave ASU the lead
for good.
ASU went ahead 1-0 in the first when Rose doubled to right and
Barth followed with a solid single to center. Barth's hit gave
him hits in 42 consecutive games, breaking the previous Peach
Belt Conference mark of 41 set by Armstrong Atlantic State's David
Harriman during the 2002 season.
The Blue Hose answered with a four-spot in the fourth.
Sheppard got aboard on an infield single and Rodebaugh homered
to right-centerfield off of Sastre. Lance
Howard walked and advanced on a wild pitch. A pair of
groundouts plated Howard before Andrew
Cockerham lined a single up the middle, chasing Sastre
from the game. Cockerham advanced on a passed ball before Clay
Belton greeted Beumel with an RBI-single to left that chased
home Cockerham.
Junior shortstop Bennett Mayfield paced the Jags
offensively with three hits, while Sumlin, Rose and Barth
added two safeties each. Barth collected a pair of RBI and
Sumlin and Rose scored two runs each. No player from the Blue
Hose had more than one hit.
The Jaguars return to action tomorrow when they host Newberry
at 2:00 p.m. in a non-conference contest at Jaguar Field.