Adam Mills spun a two-hitter in the season finale. |
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Mills Pitches Complete-Game Two-Hitter, Offense Produces 13 Runs in Finale
May 21, 2005
Memphis, Tenn. - The Charlotte 49ers were clicking on all cylinders in the season finale against Memphis on Saturday afternoon at Nat Buring Stadium. Starting pitcher Adam Mills allowed just two runs, one earned, on two hits in a seven-inning complete game performance. Offensively, the Niners scored 13 runs on 17 hits to finish the season 31-23 overall.
Charlotte (31-23, 13-17 C-USA) scored in each of the first five innings while running out to a 13-1 lead. The 49ers opened things with a pair of runs in their first turn at bat. Memphis senior Nick Bradshaw began the game on the mound in his final collegiate game, but in a pre-determined move was pulled after allowing an 0-2 single to the game's first batter, Cory Lane. Reliever Chris Davis got two outs, before Kris Rochelle's bunt single down the third baseline put two runners on. Spencer Steedley walked to load the bases, and Mike Ambrose's single plated a pair of runs.
The Niners scored three more in the top of the second. Alex Bryant's one-out double into center started things off. Cory Lane walked, and was followed by a bunt single from O'Brien Taylor to load the bases. Adam Willard grounded to second base, reaching on an error but driving in a run. Rochelle then singled back up the middle to drive in two more runs.
Memphis (13-42, 5-27 C-USA) got an unearned run in the bottom of the second following an error by Steedley at first base.
Charlotte got the run back in the top of the third, when Chris Taylor and Chris Lane hit back-to-back singled into shallow left field. A Cory Lane sacrifice fly would plate Taylor for a 6-1 lead.
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The 49ers took a 7-1 lead when Rochelle doubled and Steedley drove him in with a single back through the middle in the top of the fourth.
The lead swelled to 13-1 in the top of the fifth. Adam Willard collected his first hit of the day with one out, doubling off the left field wall to drive in his 50th run of the season. Steedley followed one out later with a two-run opposite-field double to the left-center warning track, and Ambrose drove him in with a single. Chris Taylor was hit by a pitch to put a pair on before Chris Lane's single back through the box drove them both home.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Charlotte starter Adam Mills (6-4) had his no-hit bid broken up by a single through the infield down the first base line. But Mills recovered to get the final out on a pop up to leave two runners on base. He finished with seven strikeouts in the game, giving up the second run on a home run in the sixth.
In the series, the 49ers pounded out 47 hits and totaled 33 runs to finish the season on a four-game winning streak. They swept the Tigers and took a non-conference decision at Furman last Tuesday.
This season marked the first time that Charlotte had reached the 30-win plateau since winning 32 in 2000. It was quite a turnaround from a 20-32, 9-21 record last season.
