March 6, 2005

Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ben Hunter overcame an early deficit to earn his third consecutive victory and lead Furman to a 5-4 Southern Conference win over Appalachian State Sunday afternoon at Furman Stadium.

Hunter (3-0), a freshman righthander from West Chester, Ohio, who had posted wins over High Point and Ohio in his first two collegiate starts, yielded a two-run home in the first inning before settling down to pitch 5 1/3 innings of four-hit ball. He struck out seven and walked three in helping the Paladins claim the rubber game of the three-game conference series.

David Mitchell pitched the ninth inning to record his second straight save and third of the season for Furman (5-6, 2-1 SoCon).

Scott Clark (2-4) took the loss for Appalachian State (3-11, 1-2 SoCon) after yielding 10 hits and three walks over 7 1/3 innings.

Case Cassedy went 2-for-4 and drove in a pair of runs to pace Furman's 10-hit attack. A.J. Davidiuk and Nick Wajda also added two hits each for the Paladins.

Julian Brown recorded two of Appalachian State's six hits in the contest.

The Mountaineers touched up Hunter for two runs in the first after Brown singled to lead off and Brad Peisel belted a one-out home run to left field.

Furman made it 2-1 in the bottom of the inning when Wajda tripled to right center and came home on a Cassedy single.

The Paladins struck for four runs in the third for a 5-1 lead. Cassedy's double to left scored Wajda, and Matthew Betsill followed with a single to drive in A.J. Davidiuk and Cassedy. Betsill, who advanced to third after Mountaineer centerfielder Chris Baker's throw skipped past home plate, then came home on a Joe Daysh sacrifice fly.

Appalachian State sliced the Furman lead to 5-4 with a two-run sixth. Brown led off with a single, and Peisel followed with a walk. With one out J.J. Rollins reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Brown then scored on a wild pitch by Hunter, and Peisel tallied the second run when Paladin shortstop A.J. Davidiuk misplayed a grounder off the bat of Kevin Butler. Coming on in relief of Hunter, Cal Hurst quelled the Mountaineer rally by retiring Travis Hunnicutt and Luis Arce on grounders.

Furman maintained its one-run lead with strong defensive play over the final three innings. In the eighth, A.J. Davidiuk ranged to his left and threw out Butler on a close play at first base with the two outs and the tying run at third base. In the ninth, Vance Witman delivered a one-out pinch-hit single but was erased on a game ending double play.

Furman returns to action on Tuesday when it takes on Gardner-Webb in Boiling Spring, N.C., beginning at 3:00 p.m. Appalachian State will also play on Tuesday at Charlotte in a 2:00 p.m. game.