SSAC News
Thu, Apr 26, 2007 - [Baseball]
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—When Faulkner and Auburn University Montgomery get together in any sport, it is always an exciting game, and tonight was no different. AUM was able to garner just enough offense and used three Faulkner errors to pull out a 5-1 win in the final winner’s bracket game at the Southern States Athletic Conference baseball tournament.
Both teams had players on base the whole game but had trouble scoring. AUM was able to finally break into the scoring column in the bottom of the third inning when Stephen Partrick and Cortez Pearson led the inning off with back to back singles. They were both sacrificed over by Junior Kelley and Partrick scored on a ground out from Paul Vasquez.
One inning later, Matt Keel took advantage of the first Faulkner error and made his way around to third base where he scored on an throwing error by catcher Ryan Duwe.
During this time, AUM start Scott Mularz (8-1) held the Eagles at bay. He allowed only five hits and no runs during six and a third innings of work.
“He doesn’t have his fast ball right now, but we went with him because he has been in so many big games and he knew how to rise to the occasion,” head coach Q.V. Lowe said.
Both teams made tremendous defensive plays throughout the game, including two players where Faulkner hitters hit a pitch off AUM pitchers only to have AUM defender pick up the ricochet and throw the runners out.
“The play in the outfield by Pearson was really a big league play,” Lowe said. “But the two biggest plays were the two balls hit off the pitcher and thrown out that kept the momentum with us.”
Allen Ponder brought the AUM crowd to their feet with a monstrous blast to left center field in the sixth inning to make it 3-0. AUM added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh as Matt Arrighi moved to third on Pearson’s infield single. He did not stop as Faulkner committed an error on the play. Pearson was able to steal a base and was balked to third. He then scored the final AUM run on a passed ball.
Mark Presnell picked up his second save of the season pitching the final two and two-thirds innings. Faulkner was able to pick up an unearned run in the last stanza to make the final score 5-1.
“To say I’m pleased is an understatement,” Lowe said. “We don’t have to win this tournament but our players keep playing hard.”
Top seed AUM (45-9) continues play in the winner’s bracket, tomorrow facing second seeded Southern Poly at 7 p.m. Faulkner (31-22) will play at 1 p.m. in an elimination game against Berry College.
Both teams had players on base the whole game but had trouble scoring. AUM was able to finally break into the scoring column in the bottom of the third inning when Stephen Partrick and Cortez Pearson led the inning off with back to back singles. They were both sacrificed over by Junior Kelley and Partrick scored on a ground out from Paul Vasquez.
One inning later, Matt Keel took advantage of the first Faulkner error and made his way around to third base where he scored on an throwing error by catcher Ryan Duwe.
During this time, AUM start Scott Mularz (8-1) held the Eagles at bay. He allowed only five hits and no runs during six and a third innings of work.
“He doesn’t have his fast ball right now, but we went with him because he has been in so many big games and he knew how to rise to the occasion,” head coach Q.V. Lowe said.
Both teams made tremendous defensive plays throughout the game, including two players where Faulkner hitters hit a pitch off AUM pitchers only to have AUM defender pick up the ricochet and throw the runners out.
“The play in the outfield by Pearson was really a big league play,” Lowe said. “But the two biggest plays were the two balls hit off the pitcher and thrown out that kept the momentum with us.”
Allen Ponder brought the AUM crowd to their feet with a monstrous blast to left center field in the sixth inning to make it 3-0. AUM added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh as Matt Arrighi moved to third on Pearson’s infield single. He did not stop as Faulkner committed an error on the play. Pearson was able to steal a base and was balked to third. He then scored the final AUM run on a passed ball.
Mark Presnell picked up his second save of the season pitching the final two and two-thirds innings. Faulkner was able to pick up an unearned run in the last stanza to make the final score 5-1.
“To say I’m pleased is an understatement,” Lowe said. “We don’t have to win this tournament but our players keep playing hard.”
Top seed AUM (45-9) continues play in the winner’s bracket, tomorrow facing second seeded Southern Poly at 7 p.m. Faulkner (31-22) will play at 1 p.m. in an elimination game against Berry College.
