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Feb. 9, 2007http://ecupirates.cstv.com/sports/m-bas ... 07aac.html
Liberty 6, ECU 2
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Errol Hollinger smacked a grand slam to left field and Tyler Light pitched five innings of scoreless relief as Liberty defeated East Carolina 6-2 in the season opener for both schools Friday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Aaron Phillips led off the second inning with a single to center, which was followed by Garrett Young's single up the middle and a P.K. Keller walk to load the bases for Hollinger to put the Flames (1-0) up 4-0.
Light picked up the win on the day allowing just one hit in five innings of relief with one walk and four strikeouts. Flame starter Michael Solbach worked four innings allowing two runs (one earned) with two walks and two strikeouts.
Suffering the loss for the Pirates was junior right-hander T.J. Hose who went 3 2/3 innings allowing five runs, all earned, seven hits with five walks and a pair of strikeouts. Also making appearances on the rubber for ECU were seniors Jason Neitz (1/3 inning and one strikeout) and Mike Flye (1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts), along with juniors Josh Ruhlman and Brett Butts. Daniels finished his outing working 2 2/3 innings giving up four hits and surrendering one run.
The Pirates (0-1) answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third when sophomore Drew Schieber hit his first collegiate homerun to right field. Harrison Eldridge followed Schieber's at bat with a single up the middle and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Dale Mollenhauer drove in the final run of the night with another single to right to pull the Pirates within two, 4-2.
In both the top of the fourth and fifth innings, the Flames added insurance runs to push the score to 6-2. Patrick Gaillard drew a bases loaded walk off of Pirate starter T.J. Hose to push the lead to 5-2. Young would extend Liberty's lead to four, 6-2, with a solo shot to left field off of Bailey Daniels.
Offensively the Pirates were able to only muster six hits, while leaving nine runners on base. Liberty did not fare any better as they left 15 runners on the base paths.
Pirate hitters Jake Dean and Dale Mollenhauer each extended their current hit streaks to nine games.
The two teams will meet again on the diamond Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. with Jeff Ostrander taking the mound for ECU and Dustin Umberger toeing the rubber for Liberty.
Hollinger’s Slam Sinks Pirates, 6-2, in Season Opener
Greenville, N.C.
Liberty catcher Errol Hollinger hit a grand slam and pitcher Tyler Light limited East Carolina to one hit in five innings of relief work as the Flames defeated the Pirates, 6-2, Friday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium in the season opener for both teams.
With the victory, Liberty has won three-straight season openers and moves to 1-0 on the year. East Carolina falls 0-1.
After a scoreless first inning, Liberty jumped out on top in the contest on Hollinger’s (So., C, Upland, Calif.)grand slam in the top of the second. Aaron Phillips (Jr., 3B, Claremore, Okla.)and Garrett Young (Jr., CF, Fountain Valley, Calif.)singled to open the frame and P.K. Keller (Jr., RF, Clearwater, Fla.)walked to load the bases. Hollinger then followed with a blast over the left field wall to put the Flames in front, 4-0.
East Carolina cut the Liberty lead to 4-2 in the host half of the third inning. After a ground out to third to begin the frame, second baseman Drew Schieber put the Pirates on the board with a solo home run to left. Harrison Eldridge followed with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. The center fielder then scored an unearned run on a RBI single by shortstop Dale Mollenhauer.
The Flames extended their advantage with single runs in the fourth and fifth frames. In the fourth, designated hitter Aaron Grijalva (R-Jr., Redlands, Calif.)drew a bases loaded, two-out walk to force in a run and chase East Carolina starter T.J. Hose out of the game. In the sixth, Young hit a solo shot to left, his first in a Liberty uniform, to put Liberty up, 6-2.
Flames’ starter Michael Solbach (R-Jr., Woodbridge, Va.)pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He was relieved by Light (So., RHP, San Bernardino, Calif.) (1-0), who picked up the win with five strong innings of work. The right-hander allowed only one hit and struck four. Hose (0-1) took the loss for the Pirates.
Young got his Liberty career off to a good start by going 3-for-5 in the game with a home run to pace the Flames’ 13-hit attack. Four other Liberty players had two hits in the game. No East Carolina players had more than one hit in the game.
The Flames and Pirates will square off again tomorrow afternoon in the middle game of the season-opening three-game series. Game time at Clark-LeClair Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.
- By PAmedic
- By Dalegarz1