The bats came alive, the mistakes in the field were kept to a minimum and the Georgia Southern Eagles coasted to 19-7 win Saturday in J.I Clements Stadium against Holy Cross.
The win snapped a two-game Eagles losing streak.
Shawn Payne, the junior-college transfer who took over centerfield duties for the Eagles this season, led the onslaught. He went 5-for-6, drove in four and scored three. But it was his defense that most impressed GSU coach Rodney Hennon.
I’m proud of the way we bounced back,” Hennon said. “I thought a big play of the ballgame was Shawn Payne’s catch with two outs (in the top of the fourth). It seemed all the runs they got early on were with two outs and then he made that big catch and
we came in and took the lead.”
Other multi-hit games went to Kyle Blackburn (3), Michael Burruss (3), Eric Phillips (3), Arthur Owens (2), Steve Cochran (2), and Kevin Bowles (2). Phillips, Payne and Owens each crossed the plate three times in the win.
It was the season opener for the Crusaders (0-1), who were the early leaders. Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth, GSU (2-4) opened a can.
Owens and Payne led off the inning with back-to-back singles and designated hitter Blackburn tied it with one swing of the bat, blasting an 0-2 pitch over the centerfield fence for a three-run homer – his second bomb of the season – for a 5-5 tie.
It didn’t end there.
Victor Roache added an RBI double, Phillips drove in two with a single and Payne drove in a pair with his second single of the inning. When the dust cleared, the Eagles held a 10-5 lead. It was the first time they had batted around the order this season. They sent 13 batters to the plate in the frame.
Georgia Southern added nine more in the final five innings, while Holy Cross struggled at the plate, managing only two from that point on.
After a 1-4 start to the season, it was the little things that needed work Saturday.
“We got hit by a few pitches tonight and that’s something we worked on – just hanging in there and not moving out of the way. That was an area that improved today and we worked hard on our defense,” Hennon said. “I thought we took some better swings as the game went on, but we still have a lot of work to do to get better and we have to come out ready to play and improve tomorrow.”
It was Holy Cross getting off to a fast start, plating five runs over the course of the first three innings. Each base runner for the Crusaders in the first three the with two outs.
In the first, the Crusaders got three on the strength of an RBI double by Eric Oxford and a two-run homer after GSU starter Matt Murray retired the first two batters.
A.J. Wirnsberger drove in Owens with a single to cut it to 3-1, and HC responded with a two-out, solo shot by Alex McDonald in the top of the second.
A sacrifice fly by Owens in the bottom of the second scored Phillips, and the Crusaders responded again with another two-out, RBI single in the third, this time by John Silk, to take a 5-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.
Michael Hester, who relieved Murray in the third, got the win, pitching 1.2 innings, walking two and striking out two. He didn’t allow a run.
The series continues today with first pitch scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Trent Franzago (0-0) will get the nod on the mound for GSU.
NOTES: The 1990 College World Series Georgia Southern Eagles team, including legendary coach Jack Stallings, was in attendance at Saturday’s game. Tod Lee, Derrell Baker and William Rushing threw the first pitch, and were inducted to the GSU baseball “Wall of Fame.” … GSU’s 19 runs were the most since they defeated Davidson 20-8 at home on April 8, 2009 at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9408.
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