Kris Rochelle batted .889 for the three-game sweep of James Madison. |
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Charlotte Baseball Sweeps James Madison with 8-3 Sunday Finale
March 4, 2007
Kannapolis, N.C. - The Charlotte 49ers capped off a three-game sweep of James Madison with an 8-3 decision on Sunday at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium in Kannapolis. Charlotte improves to 10-3 on the season, dropping the Dukes to 1-8 in 2007.
Eight of Charlotte's starting nine had at least one of the team's 16 hits, with catcher Kris Rochelle continuing his hot hitting. The senior was three-for-three for the second straight day, with a pair of doubles and a triple to go with two walks. Rochelle was eight-for-nine on the weekend, slugging at 1.556, and drawing four walks for an on-base percentage of .923 in three games. He pounded four doubles and a triple among his eight hits, scoring five and knocking in five runs.
James Madison held a brief lead, scoring an unearned run off of Charlotte starter and designated hitter Spencer Steedley in the first inning.
The Niners put up two on the scoreboard in the second inning. Left fielder Brad McElroy hit a leadoff single and came home on the triple by Rochelle. He was brought home on an RBI by third baseman Aaron Bray. Bray had his second three-hit game of the season, bringing home a pair of runs.
James Madison scored one in the fourth to tie the contest, but Rochelle doubled in the fourth and scored on a shortstop Shayne Moody double to give the Niners the lead for good. Charlotte scored three more in the seventh and two in the eighth to put the game out of reach, rendering a ninth-inning run by the Dukes a moot point in the result.
Steedley, McElroy and Moody each had two hits, while first baseman Alex Burt brought home four runs on his pair of hits. Burt led the team in RBI for the series, bringing home seven runs in the three games, as Charlotte outscored James Madison 29-14 in the series.
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Steedley lasted seven and two-thirds innings to get his second win of the season (2-0). He struck out eight with no walks, scattering six hits. He allowed just the two runs, one of them earned.
Justin Wood took the loss for JMU. He allowed 10 hits in six innings, striking out three and walking none. All three runs charged to him were earned.
The Niners take the week of Spring Break off, before playing starting a four-game series against LeMoyne on Friday at 2 p.m. The series, which includes a Saturday doubleheader, takes place at The Winthrop Ballpark in Rock Hill, S.C., the third home stadium that Charlotte will play in this season. Charlotte is 7-0 in home contests this year.
