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Ninth Inning Grand Slam Lift Furman Past Davidson 9-6
May 20, 2005
DAVIDSON, N.C. -- Joe Daysh hit a first-pitch grand slam with two outs in the ninth to give the visiting Furman Paladins a 9-6 win at Davidson, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Southern Conference Tournament alive. Furman ended a four-game losing streak to improve to 24-27 overall and 11-16 in the league, while the Wildcats fell to 26-22 on the season and 13-16 in conference play.
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the ninth, Case Cassedy and Sam McLain both singled to put the go-ahead runs on base with nobody out. Matthew Betsill bunted them over, but also reached base when reliever Jay Heafner (1-3) bobbled the ball for an error. Heafner recovered to strike out the next two hitters, but Daysh lined the first pitch he saw just over the fence in left for the game-winning grand slam, his fourth home run of the year. All four runs were unearned due to the error.
Reliever Nick Holstegge (2-1) earned the victory for Furman by getting the final five outs.
The Paladins touched up Davidson starter Andy Carter for a pair of runs in the first. Ben Terry started the game with an infield single, and Andrew Greene followed with a bunt single. After a flyout, McLain was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Betsill picked up two RBI with a jam-job single to center.
In the bottom half, the Wildcats got one of those runs back. Andrew Musashe stroked a lead-off double and went to third on a grounder. After Heafner drew a walk, the pair pulled off a double steal, putting Davidson on the board.
A lead-off single by A.J. Davidiuk in the fourth led to a Paladin run. Tony Maccani bunted Davidiuk to second, and Daysh ripped a double to left for a 3-1 Furman lead.
Taylor Shoop tied the game in the Wildcat half of the fourth with a towering two-run shot to right, his ninth of the season. The four-bagger plated Alex Entrekin, who had singled with one out.
But the Paladins came right back with two runs of their own in the fifth. Cassedy singled, and when Carter's pick-off throw got away, he raced to third. Betsill and Davidiuk then hit back-to-back RBI doubles.
Once again, Davidson responded in its half as Heafner hit a lead-off double and came home on an Entrekin two-out double, both coming off reliever Matt Klinker, cutting the lead to one run at 5-4.
The 'Cats scored twice in the seventh with Ronnie Shore starting things off with an infield hit down the third-base line. One out later, Gregory Zage grounded a double down the right-field line to put runners at second and third. A line single to left by Eli Benefield tied the score, and Entrekin followed with a bloop single to left to give Davidson the 6-5 lead.
Both teams got at least one hit from every starter in the game as Furman banged out 16 hits and Davidson 14.
Daysh finished the game 2-for-5 with five RBI, while Betsill led the Paladins with three hits in four trips to the plate, scoring twice and driving in three.
Entrekin was the offensive star for the Wildcats going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, a run and two RBI.
The two teams meet again at Wilson field at 2 p.m. With just one victory in the series, Davidson will clinch the sixth seed in the Southern Conference Tournament.
