Aaron Bray drove in a team-best five runs with two home runs in two games at the NCAA Regionals. |
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Charlotte's Season Ends in 13-12 Defeat by JMU at NCAA Regional
May 31, 2008
Raleigh, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers ended their season with two losses at the Raleigh, N.C. Baseball Regional, falling 13-12 to the James Madison Dukes at Doak Field Saturday afternoon. The Niners finish with a 43-16 record in 2008 and a 2-8 all-time postseason record. With 16 hits in the game, Charlotte sets a new marking for team batting average, at .333 for the season, beating the 1998 team by one percentage point.
The Niners fell short in their attempt at a 23rd come-from-behind victory, leaving a runner on second in the ninth.
"I thought we competed, but we did not execute the way we are used to. I am really proud of our senior class," said Charlotte head coach Loren Hibbs. "We just didn't get it done in the end like we are used to. We are extremely disappointed that we do not get a chance to play tomorrow."
Charlotte got on the board early with an RBI double by shortstop Shayne Moody in the third inning, the first hit of the game for Charlotte. The Niners then plated four more in the fourth, leading off the inning with a solo home run by third baseman Aaron Bray, his second homer in consecutive Regional games. The Niners scored two more in the inning on a two-run homer by left fielder O'Brien Taylor. Charlotte added another run on a Corey Shaylor RBI single for a 5-0 lead.
The Dukes (39-18) scored a pair in the fourth, but gave up five more to Charlotte in the fifth, all with two outs to give the visitors a 10-2 lead. JMU then reeled off eight straight runs, including a six-run sixth inning, to tie the game at ten.
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In the seventh, Charlotte took the lead for the season time on a sacrifice fly by Bray. Charlotte finished second in the NCAA at the end of the regular season with 42 sacrifice flies.
Charlotte then gave up the lead in the eighth, with the Dukes scoring three runs on two doubles, two walks, a hit batter and an error to take a 13-11 lead.
First baseman Rob Lyerly then hit the second sacrifice fly of the day and his 76th RBI of the season in the eighth, but Charlotte could not score a runner from second with two outs in the ninth.
Reliever Turner Phelps got the win after getting a no-decision in a start the night before against North Carolina State. He allowed the run in the eighth and walked four, but he was the pitcher of record when the Dukes retook the lead for good for his 8-0 record.
Trevor Knight, who took the loss in the N.C. State opener, got the save in relief for tossing a scoreless ninth.
Charlotte reliever Sam Pierce took the loss (4-1). He recorded one out in the sixth, but did not get the three batters he faced in the seventh out. Two of the three runs charged to him were earned. He walked two and struck out one hitter.
NOTES: Charlotte's 45 sacrifice flies were second-most in team history. The Niners finished with back-to-back 40-plus win seasons, earning 92 wins in the last two seasons. Charlotte's Bray McElroy went 5-for-5, with five walks in the Regional, and finished his career as the team batting leader at .381 for the season. He had missed the 12 games prior to the Regional with an ankle injury. He finishes his career as Charlotte's all-time hitting leader, at .392 in 431 at-bats. Lyerly's 76 RBI was the third most in a single season in team history, with his 26 doubles tying McElroy's total from 2007 as the third most in team history for a single season. Chris Taylor added three hits on the day and finishes with 264 for his career, the fifth-most career total in team history. His 65 doubles and 208 RBI rank third and 35 home runs are fifth for a Charlotte career.
