April 20, 2008

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Union (Ky.) College head coach Bart Osborne notched his 200th career victory as the 13th-ranked Bulldogs swept the Appalachian Athletic Conference doubleheader from visiting Montreat (N.C.) College Saturday (April 19).

Union won the opener 6-3 before taking the finale 9-3.

The wins improved Union to 35-10 overall and 12-4 in league play, while Montreat dropped to 31-14 overall and 10-6 in the AAC.

Osborne, who is in his fifth year at Union, is 201-81 as a head coach and is the program's all-time wins leader.

Joe Grinstead had a big day as he belted a solo home run in the first inning of both games. In all, Union belted five home runs on the day, giving it 36 on the season. The Bulldogs had just 37 four-baggers in all of 2007.

All nine Bulldog batters recorded a base hit in the opener as Union recorded the 6-3 decision.

Grinstead got the scoring rolling for Union with a solo shot in the first inning. After Montreat evened the score in the third, Union scored twice in the fourth thanks to a run-scoring single by Trey Wheeler and Levi Hardin sac fly for a 3-1 lead.

Justin Hart belted a solo home run in the fifth for a 4-1 Union advantage.

Montreat inched closer, scoring a run in each the sixth and seventh innings to pull within 4-3. However, Kenny Kysar and Grinstead both scored in the bottom of the seventh to give Union the 6-3 victory.

Wheeler was the lone Bulldog with more than one hit as he went 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored.

Lance Daugherty improved to 6-1 on the year as he went five innings, allowing two runs - one earned, on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Russell Logsdon collected his second save of the season, going four innings and allowing one unearned run on two hits and no walks with two strikeouts.

John Shannon suffered the loss for Montreat, lasting only 3 1/3 innings and giving up three earned runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

Offensively for Montreat, Chad Dawkins led the way in going 3-for-5 with a run scored.

Marty Popham tossed his seventh complete game of the year in the finale as Union picked up the 9-3 decision.

After Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first, Montreat fought back and tied it with three runs in the third. Dawkins had a two-run double, while Jesse Wise lined a run-scoring single.

Kysar gave Union a 5-3 lead in the fourth with a two-run home run, his third of the season.

Josh Ehringer added a two-run blast in the fifth as part of a three-run rally, and Union tacked on another run in the sixth en route to the 9-3 victory.

Grinstead went 3-for-4 with a RBIs and a two runs scored, while Ehringer was 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Popham improved to 11-1 on the season, allowing three earned runs on eight hits and one walk with four strikeouts.

For Montreat, Dawkins went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Wise finished 3-for-4 with a RBI. Garrett Jones suffered the loss.

Union and Montreat will play a nine-inning, non-conference game Sunday at 1 p.m.