March 3, 2006
Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. -- Jay Jackson belted his first collegiate home run and A.J. Davidiuk delivered a two-out, two-run double in the seventh inning to lead Furman to a 5-4 win over West Virginia in the first game of a Friday afternoon doubleheader at Coastal Carolina's Watson Stadium.
Furman (5-4), winners of three straight and four of its last five games, will play Coastal Carolina in Friday's second game beginning at approximately 4:00 p.m. The Paladins defeated the Chanticleers 9-6 on Wednesday.
Jackson, a freshman from Greenville's Christ Church Episcopal School, went 2-for-4 in the game, gave Furman a early 1-0 lead with a bases loaded single in the first inning. Later in the fourth he belted an offering by West Virginia's Marty Fagler over the right center field fence to put Furman ahead 2-1.
After West Virginia tied the game with a run in the fifth and two in the seventh to take a 4-2 lead, Furman struck for three runs in the bottom of the frame. Sean McDonnough and Tony Maccani led off with singles off Mountaineer reliever Trent Ridgley and advanced on a wild pitch. After Ben Terry was retired on an infield fly, Andrew Greene drove home McDonnough with a sacrifice fly. Pinch hitter Will Stembridge was then hit by Mountaineer reliever Kenny Durst, and Davidiuk followed with a two-run double to left center to give Furman a 5-4 lead.
Patrick Arnett (1-1), who earned the victory, worked a scoreless eighth before giving way in the ninth to Nick Hollstegge, who surrendered a leadoff single, a walk, and a balk to put runners at second a third with two outs. The Paladin junior righthander recovered, however, by striking out Casey Bowling to end the game and record his third save of the season.
West Virginia outhit Furman 11-8, but the Mountaineers stranded 11 runners in the contest.
Furman starter Matt Klinker surrendered nine hits and three runs in six innings of work. He walked two and struck out four.
Durst (1-1) absorbed the loss for West Virginia (5-2).
Friday's contest marked the first meeting between the Paladins and Mountaineers in baseball since 1977.
