Junior Aaron Bray had three hits for Charlotte in their 11-2 home defeat of Furman Tuesday. |
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Charlotte Wins Eighth Straight in 11-2 Home Win Over Furman
March 11, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Junior third baseman Aaron Bray hit a game-opening home run and finished with three hits, two RBI and a pair of runs scored as the Charlotte 49ers defeated visiting Furman 11-2 in Tuesday night baseball action at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium. It was the first home night game of the season for Charlotte, as they extended their winning streak to eight games overall and remained undefeated in nine home contests. Charlotte is now 11-1, while the Paladins drop to 7-4.
Bray's homer was his second this season and for his career, both hit to the opposite field. He took the 0-1 pitch over the left field fence to start the scoring for Charlotte. The Niners added an unearned run on the first of two Furman errors when right fielder Alan Parks drove home center fielder Brad McElroy with a sacrifice fly after McElroy reached on an error, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch in that first frame to give Charlotte a 2-0 lead.
The Niners scored another unearned run in the second when Bray got designated hitter Rob Lyerly home on an RBI groundout thanks to a passed ball allowing Lyerly to get to third after a walk and a single.
Furman answered with their only runs of the game in the fourth inning on three hits and two Charlotte errors. Designated hitter Reese Wade drove home both runs on a single through the right score to score third baseman Bobby Hubbard and left fielder Jay Jackson with the bases loaded.
Other than that fourth inning, Charlotte retired all but one batter when catcher Matt Hemingway singled in the eighth inning.
Charlotte scored three more unearned runs in the fifth on a hit, two walks, a two-base error and a balk.
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Three more runs came pouring in for Charlotte in the sixth, when Parks drove in two with a double to left center after singles from McElroy and catcher Chris Taylor. Parks later scored on a Lyerly single through the middle to give Charlotte the 9-2 lead.
The Niners finished the scoring in the seventh. First baseman Alex Burt and Bray started the inning with a single and double. McElroy drove in Burt with a sacrifice fly to center and Bray came home on a Taylor single to center.
Charlotte freshman starter Joe Yermal was the winner (2-0). He allowed both runs in the fourth, though only one was earned. He allowed three hits and one walk through six innings, striking out four. Reliever Sam Pierce allowed on hit in two innings and Justin Duncan threw a scoreless inning of relief for the second time this season.
Tonight's game marks the fifth time this season that Charlotte has scored double-figure runs and the sixth time that the pitching staff has given up two or fewer runs (and the fourth straight time that has happened).
Charlotte heads to Winston-Salem for a Wednesday afternoon contest at Wake Forest, beginning at 3 p.m.
Charlotte and Wake Forest are both receiving votes in the Monday's USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll.
