March 9, 2008
Box Score
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman and Albany wrapped up a three-game weekend baseball series with a Sunday doubleheader split at Furman Stadium that saw the Paladins win game one, 5-2, and fall in game two, 6-3.
Furman claimed two of the series' three games and is 7-3 on the season. Albany is now 3-7 on the campaign.
In game one, Jay Jackson's three-run, third inning home run proved decisive as the Paladins rode the solid pitching of starter Mason Smith and a trio of relivers en route to the 5-2 victory.
With the Paladins leading 1-0, Bobby Hubbard and Ryan Lee opened the third inning with back-to-back singles off Great Dane starting pitcher Corey Warrings. Jackson followed with a three-run home run blast over the left field fence to give Furman a 4-0 lead.
Albany made it 4-1 with a Mike Konstansy solo home run off Paladin starting pitcher Mason Smith in the sixth, but Furman answered with Joey Rodgers RBI single in the bottom of the frame to stretch the lead to 5-1.
Albany used a hit, a single, and a walk to load the bases with no outs in the eighth. Sean Donovan's single made it a 5-2 game, but reliever Nick Karow recovered by inducing Ryan Gugel into a force out at home and retiring Zac Hollaran on an infield fly before striking out Tom Zink with the bases loaded to end the threat.
Karow worked a perfect ninth to nail down the victory and notch his second save of the season.
Smith (2-0) picked up the pitching decision for Furman after working 5 1/3 innings and allowing five hits, a run, and two walks while striking out three.
The Paladins claimed a narrow 9-8 margin in hits, with Jackson, Marcus Rose, and Campbell Lewis each collecting a pair of base knocks.
In game two Dave West went 3-for-5 and delivered an RBI single in the fifth inning to break a 3-3 tie to propel the Great Danes to the 6-3 triumph.
Albany produced a pair of first inning runs off Paladin starting and losing pitcher Chris Newell (0-1), but Furman tied it a 2-2 in the second on Joey Rodgers' two-run home run to left.
After both teams scratched for single runs in the fourth, Kyle Crean doubled with one out and later scored on West's two-out single to center field to give Albany a 4-3 lead.
The Great Danes tacked on two more runs in the seventh on an RBI single by Brendan Rowland off Paladin reliever Spencer Hale and a two-out double to left center field by West.
Albany reliever Dave Noble came on the sixth and limited Furman to to just two hits over three frames before yielding a two-out single to Campbell Lewis and walk to Matt Hemingway. He recovered, however, by getting Joey Rodgers on a fly to right field to end the game and secure his first save of the season.
Albany starter Josh Willimott (2-0) earned the victory, working five innings and surrendering five hits, three runs, including two earned, and a walk while striking out three.
The Great Danes out-hit the Paladins 10-8 in game two. Joey Rodgers led the Paladins with a 3-for-4 performance.
Furman returns to action on Tuesday when it travels to Charlotte to take on the 49ers in a 6:00 p.m. game.
