49ers Top Appalachian, 4-3, After Lightning Delay on Tuesday Night
April 25, 2006
Charlotte, N.C. - Chris Lane went 3-for-4 and Aaron Bray knocked in two runs, as the Charlotte 49ers held off Appalachian on Tuesday night at Tom and Lib Phillips Field, 4-3.
Charlotte (28-12-1) and Appalachian (17-23-1) met for the second time this season and the 49ers came out with their first win in the last four contests between the schools. The 49ers and Mountaineers tied 13-13 in Boone back on April 4.
Chris Lane had three singles, including a run scoring base-knock in the second inning. Bray's two-run single in the second gave his team a momentary 3-2 lead. Cory Lane drove in the fourth run of the night for Charlotte, floating a ball into shallow right field behind a draw-in infield in the third inning. That plated Mike Ambrose with what would prove to be the game-winning run.
The game was delayed 43 minutes with two outs in the bottom of the first inning due to lightning, but both teams and starting pitchers recovered after the break to continue the action.
After the delay, Appalachian scored a pair of runs in the top of the second to take the first lead of the evening. With two outs and a man on first base, Joey Robinson singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Rand Smith then hit a 2-run single into center field.
The 49ers answered back in the bottom half of the frame off Mountaineers starter Scott Clark, with three runs on four singles. Chris Taylor singled to right center and Alan Parks followed with a single to the same spot for runners on the corners. Chris Lane then logged his first hit of the afternoon to score one run.
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After a groundout moved the runners to second and third, Aaron Bray pulled the first pitch he saw through the right side for a 3-2 Niners advantage.
Appalachian tied the ballgame with a run in the top of the third, when Adam Beasley walked with two outs. He moved over on a wild pitch and then scored on a single down the left field line by David Rubenstein.
The 49ers got the go-ahead run in the bottom of the third when Mike Ambrose led off the inning by reaching on an error at second base. After a pitching change brought Josh Fish into the game, Steedley sacrificed Ambrose to second and he then advanced again on a balk. Cory Lane's single into right field plated what would eventually become the game winner.
Spencer Steedley (1-0) pitched six strong innings in his second start of the season for Charlotte, allowing six hits and one walk through six innings. He forced the Mountaineers to strand runners in scoring position in both the fifth and sixth innings to preserve the lead for his team.
Senior closer Erik Walker worked the 7th, 8th and 9th innings for his fifth save this season. Walker struck out three while allowing just one single. He erased that baserunner, Chris Baker, on a pickoff at first base to end the game.
Earlier in the inning, David Rubenstein reached on an error in right field. But in the next at-bat, he tried to steal second on a ball in the dirt and 49ers catcher Chris Taylor threw him out for the first out of the inning.
Tuesday night's game was the first of two non-conference matchups at Tom and Lib Phillips Field this week. The 49ers take on red-hot Furman (26-12) on Wednesday night at home, in their final scheduled home non-conference game of the season. This weekend Charlotte plays host to Atlantic 10 Conference opponent and longtime rival Saint Louis.
