February 7, 2010

Box Score

DAHLONEGA, GA – Pfeiffer University used a ninth inning rally to force extra frames where the Falcons pushed a run across in the 10th inning to defeat 24th-ranked North Georgia 7-6 in game one of a doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Bob Stein Stadium.

The Saints drop their first game of the season, falling 1-1 overall, while the Falcons pick up their first victory of the year, improving to 1-2 on the season as the two teams will play the final of a three game series as part of doubleheader on Sunday afternoon.

North Georgia jumped on the Falcons in the first inning for the second straight game, using a bases loaded walk from Brad Hall and a pair of sacrifice flies to take a 3-0 opening inning advantage.

In the fourth inning, the Saints added two more runs as Craig Brisson singled home Kenny Bellavance and later in the inning, Andre Airich coaxed a bases loaded walk to score the second run of the frame and give North Georgia a 5-0 lead.

Pfeiffer answered in the sixth inning as Ethan Marsh singled home the Falcon’s first run of the game to make it 5-1, and in the 7th inning, Josh Strickland walked with the bases loaded and Aarin Sharpe doubled home a run as part of a three-run frame to pull Pfeiffer to within a run at 5-4.

After a Chad Sage one-out blast to put the Saints back up by two runs in the last of the seventh, Pfeiffer came to bat down a pair in the ninth and rallied with a Will Davis single that plated two runs, knotting the score at 6-6 and forcing extra innings.

In the 10th frame, Pfeiffer came out and used a Zack Pou single passed a diving Airich with the infield pulled in to plate Eric Shoemaker for the winning run. The Saints had a lead-off single in the bottom half of the inning, but were unable to push a run across as the Falcons took game two of the series 7-6.

Luke Wilhelm (1-0) picked up the win in relief for the Falcons, tossing 3.0 innings of one-hit ball, while striking out three. Pfeiffer pitchers combined to strike out 12 North Georgia batters.

Blake Hobby started the game for the Saints and lasted 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, both earned, while striking out a pair. Matt Adams (0-1) suffered the loss for the Saints, pitching the 10th and allowing two hits and one earned run.