Chris Taylor embraces head coach Loren Hibbs after hitting a walkoff homer to win Saturday and clinch the conference title. |
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Niners Capture A-10 Title with Chris Taylor Walk-Off Homer in Tenth in 2-1 Win
May 17, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Chris Taylor hit a solo home run in the bottom of the tenth to push the Charlotte 49ers to a share of the 2008 Atlantic 10 baseball title in a 2-1 victory over visiting Rhode Island at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium Saturday afternoon. The win gives Charlotte back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time in school history. Charlotte finishes the regular season 40-14 overall and 19-8 in the A-10. Rhode Island falls to 29-25-1, with a 15-11-1 A-10 mark.
Charlotte finishes 2008 with a 26-7 home mark, making them 39-10 at home since opening the new facility on March 30, 2007.
Rhode Island only managed an infield hit on a bunt in nine innings, and got another single in the tenth to finish with just two hits on the day.
Charlotte scored first in the second. After Corey Shaylor hit a leadoff infield single, center fielder Cory Tilton doubled to the fence in left center to drive in the run and give the Niners a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Rhode Island got the run back on a walk, a fielder's choice and a wild pitch by starter Luke Stahl, who only gave up one hit in 5.2 innings pitched.
The score remained tied at one until Taylor's two-out blast in the tenth off of reliever Luke Demko, a 2-1 line drive that cleared the left field fence by six feet. It was his conference-leading 18th of the season.
Charlotte reliever Bryan Hamilton got the win in after lasting a career-long 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed one hit and one walk in that span, striking out five to improve to 5-2.
Demko got the loss after tossing 3.2 innings, giving up four hits and striking out four.
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Neither starter factored in the decision, despite holding the opposing lineup to one run into the sixth inning.
Stahl allowed one hit and one walk, striking out five, but got the no-decision.
Rams starter Eric Smith lasted six innings and allowed five hits and four walks in his no-decision. He struck out five 49ers in the contest.
Charlotte will face the Wednesday winner of third-seeded Duquesne and sixth-seeded St. Bonaventure after receiving a bye in the upcoming conference tournament, which takes place at Campbell's Field in Camden, N.J. next week. Charlotte will get the first day off and plays Thursday at 3:30 p.m. as the second seed.
NOTES: Taylor's homer puts him in a tie for the third-most homers in one season in team history with Tom Malchesky (1986). His RBI puts his total at a career-high 66. It was Charlotte's eighth win in their final at-bat and the first time this season the Niners have won with a home run to end the game.
