Rob Lyerly hit his second home run in as many days, and leads the team with two blasts and five RBI. |
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Charlotte Completes Three-Game Sweep of Manhattan 8-4
Feb. 24, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers scored five runs in the second inning and never looked back to complete the three-game home sweep of Manhattan in an 8-4 final Sunday at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium. Charlotte is now 3-0 on the season, its best start since 2000 (when Charlotte set the school record with 11 wins to begin the season), while the Jaspers fall to 0-3.
For the first time in the series, Manhattan took the lead. In the top of the first, Eric Neito doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Luis Llerena to take the 1-0 lead.
Rob Lyerly tied the game with an opposite-field, leadoff homer in the second inning, his second round-tripper in as many days. After a pair of walks and three hits, Charlotte plated four more in the frame, capped off by a Shayne Moody two-RBI double to left field.
The Niners added two more in the third. Catcher Chris Taylor drilled a leadoff double to the right center gap, and later scored on an RBI-single by outfielder Cory Tilton. Tilton added another RBI in the fifth to give him four for the series. Taylor led Charlotte with six hits on the weekend, including three doubles.
The Jaspers added a pair or runs in the fourth on a two-run blast by first baseman Austin Sheffield, his first of the season. The run in the fifth was scored by Eric Neito, driven in by outfielder Mark Onorati.
Luke Stahl got the win (1-0) in relief of starter Ryan Rivers, who lasted 4.1 innings. Stahl threw three 3.2 innings of shutout baseball, allowing just one hit and two walks, while striking out four. Bryan Hamilton threw a final inning of perfect relief, with one strikeout.
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Manhattan starter Brian Pendergast took the loss (0-1). He lasted just 2.2 innings, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out a pair.
Charlotte hits the road on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, before returning home for a weekend series against Cleveland State. Charlotte's next game is a 1 p.m. start at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C. Presbyterian is in its first season as a Division I institution.
