Pirates sweep Rams in three games

The Feb. 19-21 weekend baseball series between the AASU Pirates and the Rams of Shepherd University went the way of the Pirates.

In the first game the Pirates got out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third, Justin Harris hit a stand-up double to score the first two runs for AASU.

Harris was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt; a sac fly brought him home without a throw to the plate. But the Rams had a big inning in the top of the third. AASU starter Thomas Gray was responsible for giving up seven runs and was out of the game after only two and a third innings worth of pitching.

In the home half of the eighth, AASU scored two runs to take back the lead. With the bases loaded, an infield single by John Roberts brought in one run. Drew Walker hit a sacrifice fly to center to bring in another run.

Chris Base then pitched a three-up, three-down ninth for AASU as part of his three innings of no-hit baseball to pick up his first career win and give the Pirates a 9-7 victory.

The two teams looked as even as possible in the second game. Every inning that Shepherd scored in, the Pirates responded immediately.

Bryan Roby got the start for the Pirates. Having only pitched in relief before, he gave the Pirates a solid five and two third innings and allowed only two runs.

Neither team was able to gain a significant advantage throughout the game; AASU went into the ninth inning down 5-4 to Shepherd.

With Michael Price on second, Alex Wyche picked up a single to tie the score at five. Then after Wyche stole second, Chris Zittrouer delivered the game-winning hit with a walk-off single to give the Pirates a narrow 6-5 win.

Zittrouer, a red-shirt freshman, was certainly happy his only hit of the game was enough to give his team the win.

"I feel great. You don't get the chance to do that often, but its great when you do," he said. "I was just thinking – try to get a hit to drive Alex over, and let the guy behind me take care of the rest."

The final game of the series didn't have to come down to the final two innings of play for the Pirates to complete the sweep.

Four pitchers put together a one-run pitching effort for AASU in 6-1 victory. Chris Rabe, who came in for three innings of relief, picked up the win for the Pirates.

Roberts and Walker scored four of the six runs that AASU posted against Shepherd.

Roberts, who helps his pitchers on both sides of the plate, is currently hitting .444 and is a great signal caller according to members of the AASU pitching staff.

But he is not one to boast and realizes his role on the team. "My job is to make them [the pitchers] look good too," Roberts said.

The AASU sweep improves their record to 7-2 after the first three weeks of action.

Feb. 27: Softball vs. East Stroudsburg at 2010 Catawaba Invitational N.C. 10 a.m.

Softball at Catawaba at 2010 Catawaba Invitational N.C. 2 p.m.

Men's and Women's Tennis at Columbus State 2 p.m.

Women's Basketball vs. Francis Marion 5:30 p.m.

Men's Basketball vs. Francis Marion 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28: Baseball vs. University of Missouri- St. Louis at 2010 Savannah Invitational 11 a.m.

Softball vs. TBA at 2010 Catawaba Invitational N.C. TBA

March 1: Baseball vs. Queens N.Y. at 2010 Savannah Invitational 2 p.m.

March 2: Softball vs. Findlay 1 p.m.

Softball vs. Findlay 3 p.m.

Baseball vs. Queens N.Y. at Grayson Stadium at 2010 Savannah Invitational 6 p.m.

March 3: Baseball vs. St. Andrews at 2010 Savannah Invitational 2 p.m.

1.) After making it to the Regional, the Pirates finished the 2009 season tied for 19th place.

2.) Twice AASU has finished in second place in the championships: 2002 and 2005.

3.) Fellow PBC school USC Aiken beat AASU in the league championships and bested them for the national championship that year.

4.) Three separate players have shot a 70: Matthew Motes and Tyler Erickson at the Aflac/Cougar Invitational on Oct. 6, and Justin Wylie at the Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate on Oct. 20.

1.) How did the AASU men's golf team place in the South/Southeast Super Regional last season?

2.) What is the highest place the men's golf has finished in the PBC Championships?

3.) When the Pirates were the runner-ups to the NCAA national championships in 2005, to whom did they finish second?

4.) What is the lowest round shot by any men's golf player for this season?

AASU Sports Trivia, previews and more

Check your answers at the bottom of the page.

David Patterson performs on the putting green at the eighth annual AASU Pirate Invitational as the captain of the men's golf team.