That one hurt.
After four-straight solid pitching performances, the Georgia Southern Eagles went to Charleston last weekend and got swept, and it wasn't so much that they lost as it was how they lost.
The Cougars (23-8, 8-4 Southern Conference) came back in the bottom of the ninth to take games one and two, and got the sweep with an 11-8 win Sunday.
"I think we're all just looking forward to getting back out on the field (tonight) and have an opportunity to compete again," said GSU coach Rodney Hennon. "Any time you have a weekend like that, it's the big thing, getting back out and playing again."
The Eagles (15-14, 7-5) will hit the road again, this time to play a three-game series against an Elon team that certainly remembers the last time the two squads met. The Eagles defeated the Phoenix 7-3 in the SoCon title game on May 24, 2009, due largely in part to a Kyle Blackburn three-run homer in the sixth inning which broke a scoreless tie.
While the Phoenix (20-10, 8-4) will enter the series with revenge on their minds, the Eagles will look to start climbing the SoCon standings once again.
"There was a sense of urgency last weekend (against Charleston) and I don't think that's any different now," Hennon said. "Obviously we've put ourselves in a little bit tougher position after the weekend series."
With so much parity in the conference standings at the moment, and so much riding on each league game, GSU is keeping the same approach it was when the season started with six new players in the lineup - improve one game at a time.
"We're on a downhill side now, we've got 29 games in the books and we're into the second half where you want to play your best baseball," said Hennon. "Going up to Elon, playing well and being able win a series up there I think can really give us a boost as we head down the stretch."
Jake Brown, Matt Murray and Andy Moye will once again get the weekend starts.
Today's game will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday's first pitch will be at 4 p.m. and Sunday's will start at 1 p.m.
Matt Yogus can be reached at (912) 489-9408.
