Hanselman hit his second home run of the season, both coming in the last week. |
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49ers Fall to Appalachian, 8-2
April 26, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - For the second straight game the Charlotte 49ers gave up six runs in an inning, as Appalachian took control in the eighth frame of an 8-2 non-conference victory on Tuesday night at Tom & Lib Phillips Field.
The game was rescheduled matchup of a rained out contest from March 8. For the second time this season, these teams played in wet conditions. Rain fell throughout the majority of the contest, just as it did when the 49ers visited Boone on March 22.
Charlotte (24-17) dropped its third straight overall, and it was the second outing in a row where a six-run inning blew open a tight ballgame. Appalachian (10-31) led 2-1 heading to the top of the eighth, but manufactured three runs and got a three-run homer from Brad Peisel to put the game away.
Conference USA foe TCU had scored six runs against the Niners in the fourth inning on Sunday to break open a 1-1 affair.
After reliever Matt Foard got the first batter of the eighth to strike out looking, first baseman J.J. Rollins doubled into left field and Luis Arce singled. That scored Rollins for a 3-1 Mountaineer lead and chased Foard, who had allowed just one baserunner in the previous two innings.
Freshman B.J. Hagen took the mound for Charlotte with a man on first, and allowed a double to left by Joey Robinson. T.J. Spivey then singled up the middle to drive in both runs. After a fielder's choice gave the Niners a second out, Travis Hunnicutt reached on a throwing error at third base to keep the inning alive. Peisel's sixth home run of the season came on a 2-1 pitch, clearing the left field fence and giving the Mountaineers an 8-1 advantage.
The 49ers loaded the bases in the next half inning against reliever Josh Fish, after O'Brien Taylor singled and Mike Ambrose and Garrett Hanselman sandwiched walks around a groundout. With one out, Spencer Steedley lifted a sacrifice fly into right field to score Charlotte's second run of the night. But Chris Taylor would strike out swinging to end the inning and strand a pair.
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Chris Lane would reach on a throwing error by the shortstop with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, which allowed O'Brien Taylor to collect his third hit of the night with a single to left. However Lane was thrown out at third to end the game.
Peisel finished the night 2-for-4 with 4 RBI, extending his season-long hitting streak to 18 games. Meanwhile, senior Adam Willard went hitless for the first time in his last nine games. He had been hitting .424 with 10 RBI during that eight-game hitting streak.
Freshman Garrett Hanselman collected his second home run in the last week, a solo shot in the fourth inning.
Keith Moreland and Erik Walker both threw scoreless relief on Tuesday night. Moreland allowed just one hit while striking out three in 3.2 innings, while Walker pitched a perfect ninth inning and logged his 45th strikeout of the season.
The 49ers travel to Birmingham for a three-game Conference USA series against the UAB Blazers beginning on Friday. They return home next weekend for back-to-back C-USA series at Tom & Lib Phillips Field against Louisville and Houston.
