BURLINGTON, NC – Despite two home runs in the first and second innings, the Panthers of Ferrum College defeated the Greensboro College Pride on Friday by an 8-5 final score at the Burlington Athletic Stadium, thanks to a four-run fifth inning.
In the bottom of the first inning, Greensboro jumped out to an early advantage on the bat of Tyler O’Neill. With two outs, O’Neill hit a solo home run to dead center field to give the Pride the 1-0 advantage.
In the top of the second inning, the Panthers grabbed the lead for themselves with another home run. Nick Baker led off the inning with a double to center field, and then Kevin Marshall hit his second homer of the tournament to give Ferrum the lead 2-1.
Greensboro tied the game again in the bottom of the second, on another solo home run, this time from James Hone with a shot that cleared the scoreboard in right field.
In the 5th inning however, the Panthers scored four runs to pick up a lead that Greensboro would be unable to break. Hits from DJ Phillips, Eric Harrell and Jason Butterworth combined with three walks in the inning allowed Ferrum to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Pride managed two runs in their fifth inning on three hits from Jacob Tomb, Zach Turton and Tyler O’Neill, but still trailed 6-4. Ferrum scored runs in the sixth and seventh innings, and Greesnboro crossed one more in the sixth, but the four-run fifth inning was too much to overcome, giving Ferrum the win 8-5.
Leading the Panthers was Jesse Fuller with three hits, while Butterworth had two RBI and one run on one hit, and Marshall had his two-RBI homer. Lincoln Garner picked up the win with 5.1 innings pitched and six strikeouts.
For the Pride, O’Neill had three hits, three RBI and one run scored. Hone had two hits with one run and one RBI. Kevin Showe took the loss on 4.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts.
With the loss, Greensboro College is knocked out of the tournament. Tomorrow, Saturday, April 19, will begin with Methodist University playing NC Wesleyan College at 10:00 a.m. Ferrum will then play Christopher Newport University at 1:30 p.m., and those contests will decide the final game tomorrow.
Box: http://www.methodist.edu/monarchs/baseball/usas08%20stats/usab08.htm
Earlier game: NCWC 11, GC 7
Tyler O’Neill went 3-4 with a 3 run home run for The Pride.
Box: http://www.methodist.edu/monarchs/baseball/usas08%20stats/usab06.htm
GC record 25-14; Streak L2; Up next vs. FC or AU, 2:30 p.m. at Burlington Athletic Stadium