Junior transfer Chris Mederos struck out eight in his GSU debut, allowing five hits and one earned run in 52⁄3 innings of work.
“I didn’t want to disappoint,” said Mederos. “I’m not used to this many fans out here. There was a lot of yelling and a lot of people who were really happy to be here, so I’m glad I was able to go out there and give them a show.”
His only jam was in the top of the third when Nate Horton and Gabe Grammer hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, but GSU catcher Griffin Benedict picked off Grammer at second and Horton got caught between second and third for the second out of the inning. Andrew Williams struck out to end the threat.
Georgia Southern scored twice in the third and sixth innings.
Brian Pierce led off the sixth with a single, and Kevin Bowles got him to second with a sac bunt. Ty Wight walked, and Philip Porter (2-for-3, RBI, 2 R) grounded into a fielder’s choice to put runners on the corners with two outs.
After A.J. Wirnsberger (2-for-3, 2B) was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Benedict took the first pitch the other way for a two-run single that put GSU up 6-1.
The Eagles got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third. Bowles led off the inning taking first after being hit by a 2-2 pitch and after a Wright popout, Porter laid down a sacrifice bunt that got Bowles to second.
Wirnsberger walked on four straight to put runners on first and second, and they both crossed the plate when Blue Hose shortstop Andrew Williams couldn’t handle a Benedict popup to shallow centerfield.
Kyle Blackburn increased the GSU lead to 3-0 when he lined a 3-2 pitch over the fence in straightaway center in the bottom of the fourth.
Presbyterian chipped away with a Nate Horton solo shot in the top of the fifth, but Southern responded in the bottom half of the inning with a leadoff homer by Porter that put the Eagles up 4-1.
“I knew one run or two runs with this team – we’ll be able to come through it,” Mederos said. “I gave up a run and I knew we’d get it back. When (Horton) hit that home run off of me, (Porter) just gave it right back to me.”
Down six in the top of the eighth, the Blue Hose threatened to close the gap.
Bobby Cole got on board with a leadoff single, but Andreas Williams followed that up by grounding into a 1-6-3 double play.
A Zac Rhinesmith single put a runner back on, and Cory Lyda was hit by a Matt Murray pitch to occupy first and second. Murray got out of trouble by forcing a Drew Wingo groundout to end the inning.
Kyle Kamppi closed the game in the top of the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning.
The Eagles didn’t commit an error and turned two double plays, and a diving catch by centerfielder Matt Miller in the top of the sixth with a runner on ended the inning.
“There were some big plays in the course of that game,” said Georgia Southern coach Rodney Hennon about the defensive play of the Eagles. “Overall it was a good, solid performance there.”
The teams return to the diamond for Game 2 of the three-game series today at 2:30 p.m.
Notes: The 2,029 fans in attendance marked the fifth-largest crowd in J.I. Clements history. … Eight of the nine hitters in the starting lineup reached base at least once. … Three former Eagles will be honored when their names are added to the Mason Clements Wall of Fame before the opening pitch of today’s game. Jeff Shireman, Rob Fitzpatrick and Craig Cooper will be honored, and former GSU coach Jack Stallings will be on hand to say a few words... The last time Georgia Southern allowed one earned run was on April 1 of the 2008 season.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9404.
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