Brad McElroy moved into third place alone with a 23-game hitting streak with a bases-loaded two-RBI double at Furman Wednesday night. |
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Niners Score 16 Unanswered to Outlast Furman 16-6
April 9, 2008
Greenville, S.C. - O'Brien Taylor went 2-for-5 with a home run and drove in four runs to lead 26th-ranked Charlotte to a 16-6 win over Furman in baseball action Wednesday evening at Furman Stadium. Charlotte improves to 26-5, tying last year's school record mark through 31 games. The Niners completed the two-game season series of the Paladins, who fall to 17-13.
Charlotte brought out the heavy lumber after falling behind 6-0 in the second inning, pounding Furman's bullpen for 15 of its 16 hits. The Paladins used nine pitchers in the contest.
Joining Taylor with hot bats were Aaron Bray, who went 3-for-6, and Rob Lyerly, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI while also scoring three runs. Brad McElroy, Chris Taylor, and Corey Shaylor also collected two hits each for the 49ers. McElroy has hit safely in 23 consecutive games, moving him into third place all-time in team history for a hitting streak.
Furman had 10 hits but only managed four base knocks over the final seven innings. The Paladins were paced at the plate by Ryan Lee's 2-for-4, 3 RBI performance that also included a two-run home run.
B.J. Hagen (2-1) earned the win in relief after working three scoreless innings and allowing only three hits. It was his second win in consecutive days.
Will Feemster (0-2) took the loss for Furman, also in relief. He gave up two runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings.
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Lee's two-run shot to left field staked Furman to a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Joey Rodgers' two-run single and Lee's second hit of the game, an RBI single to right field off 49ers starter Andrew Smith, stretched Furman's advantage to 6-0 in the second inning.
Charlotte's bats came to life in the third against J.P. Goldsberry, who came on for Paladin starter Mason Smith. Goldsberry recorded only one out and yielded five runs on three hits and a walk while uncorking two wild pitches. McElroy's bases loaded, two-run double to left field proved to be inning's big blow and helped Charlotte narrow Furman's lead to 6-5.
Taylor's fifth inning solo home run to center field tied the game, and the 49ers took the lead for good later in the inning when Lyerly scored on Shaylor's sacrifice fly.
Charlotte made it 9-6 with a two-run seventh on a pair of RBI grounders by Alan Parks and O'Brien Taylor.
The 49ers blew the game open in the eighth, using a pair of Furman errors and five hits to plate seven runs, six of which were unearned.
The Niners return home this weekend to Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium to host Atlantic 10 foe Xavier. The Friday night series opener begins at 6 p.m. Charlotte is 17-1 at home this season.
NOTES: McElroy's hit broke a three-way tie for third place in hit streaks, outlasting Brian VandenHeuval from 93-94 and Brad Lamm, who had 22 straight in 2002. Corey Shaylor had two triples in the game, the first of his career. He tied five other players for that school record and it was the last time a Niner had a pair of triples in one game since Cory Lane did the trick versus Tulane on April 29, 2005. Michael Gyoerkoe recorded the first hit of his career, a single that he tried to stretch into a double to end the eighth inning. The four RBI tied O'Brien Taylor's career-best total.
