Pirates continue 2010 Savannah Invitational

The AASU Pirate baseball team continued its 2010 Savannah Invitational home stand with a gripping 6-4 win against Concord University  and 17-8 thumping of West Liberty University.

In the first game, both teams exchanged runs, pushing the score to 4-2. Despite getting out of early jams through out the game; the sixth inning proved to be too much for Thomas Grey, as he was pulled, leaving the bases loaded. The pitching change called for Jonathan Fulghum, who came in and struck the first batter out and induced the inning-ending force-out at second base, coming out of the bases loaded jam unscathed.

The Pirates carried that momentum into the bottom of the seventh, where they pushed across four runs on a bases-loaded walk to Alex Wyche, followed by a bases-clearing double by Chris Zittrouer to give the Pirates a 6-4 lead.

The lead stayed intact for the remainder of the game as Fulghum worked rapidly through the Mountain Lions’ order. Fulghum didn’t give the other team a chance to blink as he threw strike after strike, admitting that a rapid pace is a key to his success.

“I always try to work fast, so I can stick to something and be effective on the mound,” said Fulghum.

He hurled 3 2/3 innings of hitless baseball, striking out three and walking one, while picking up his second victory of the year.

The Pirate bats came alive in the March 8 contest, compiling 17 hits on their way to scoring 17 runs against West Liberty.

Early on, Pirates starter Blake Culberson seemed to have all his pitches working, tossing five innings of one-run ball, however the sixth proved to be costly for Culberson, giving up three runs on three hits. The junior right-hander turned in a gritty performance, exiting the game with a 5-4 lead.

The Pirate bats countered, pushing across 12 runs in the last three innings, led by Cameron Scott who went 2-3 with three RBI’s and Roberts added a 4-6 day with 5 RBI’s, while crushing his team leading 4th homerun of the season over the left field fence.

The Pirates bats helped extend their win streak to six, as Culberson collected his team leading third win, pitching 5 2/3. He gave up seven hits and four runs while striking out one and Brandon McCreary picked-up the save, tossing 2 1/3 innings of one-hit baseball.