web Charlotte

Feb. 25, 2006

Box Score

Charlotte, N.C. - Sophomore pitchers Keith Moreland and B.J. Hagen combined to limit Indiana to just five hits, as the Charlotte 49ers defeated the Hoosiers 7-1 at Tom & Lib Phillips Field on Saturday afternoon.

Offensively, freshman Aaron Bray continued to swing a hot bat for Charlotte (6-2), going 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI. It was his second three-hit game of the season. Spencer Steedley and Chris Taylor each had two-hit performances for the Niners, while Alan Parks matched Bray with a pair of RBI.

Moreland, a right-hander from Silver Spring, Maryland, allowed a leadoff homer in the top of the first to Jay Brant. That gave Indiana (0-2) a 1-0.

But Moreland would settle in after that, retiring the next six batters in order and 14 of the next 16 he faced to improve his record to 2-0 this season. He finished with 5 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just one run on five hits, striking out two. He did not issue a walk.

B.J. Hagen, who started on Tuesday at Wake Forest, came in to relieve Moreland with a pair of runners on second and third and one out in the top of the sixth. Hagen would work out of that jam by getting a strikeout and a groundout to first base to end the threat.

Hagen continued to pitch well, and did not allow a hit over the final 3 2/3 innings to pick up his second save of the season. He walked one and struck out three.

Meanwhile, the 49ers bats warmed up in the bottom of the third inning, as they took a 2-1 lead and would not look back. Bray led off the inning with a bunt single down the first base line, and one-out singles by Steedley and Taylor would load the bases. Kris Rochelle drew a walk to force in the game-tying run, before a sacrifice fly off the bat of Parks gave the Niners the lead for good.

The 49ers would score in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as well to put the game out of reach. In the fourth, Cory Lane tripled down the right field line and scored on a single by Bray.

In the fifth, the Niners got three runs. Rochelle singled and scored on Adam Floyd's double. Chris Lane walked, and Floyd scored on a fielder's choice at second base. A single by Bray would give him a second RBI, driving in Cory Lane.

In the sixth, the Niners added their final tally when Steedley tripled into the right field corner and came around to score on a single up the middle by Parks.

The 49ers are off to a 6-2 start for the second straight year.

These two teams will meet in the weekend series finale on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for noon.