CHARLESTON, S.C. – Georgia Southern hadn’t topped Elon all season, but the Eagles were hoping the fourth time would be a charm.
It wasn’t.
The top-seeded Phoenix exploded for eight runs in the ninth inning and launched three balls out of Riley Park Thursday to down the fourth-seeded Eagles 16-5 and send GSU into the loser’s bracket of the Southern Conference tournament.
The Eagles play again today at 3:30 p.m. against fifth-seeded UNC Greensboro, a 14-5 winner over Wofford Thursday. GSU swept the Spartans during the regular season and beat them 21-9 in the opening round Wednesday.
To earn a spot in Sunday's championship game, the Eagles have to win three straight, today over UNCG and twice Saturday against the rested Phoenix.
Georgia Southern didn't come up with timely hits Thursday, stranding 11 runners on the night - eight in the first five innings, including three in the fifth when they loaded the bases with one out.
The Eagles went down in order during the final frame, ending the ninth-inning disaster and another long night after battling into the wee hours of the morning for the second-straight game. The final out wasn’t called until 1:42 a.m.
The outlook was hopeful for the Eagles in the sixth when GSU phenom Chris Shehan tied the game at 5-5 with a two-out three-run home run – his second bomb of the night and team-leading 22nd this season.
But the Phoenix (41-16) climbed back on top for good the following inning on third baseman Bennett Davis’ three-run shot over the scoreboard in left to put Elon up 8-5.
Down by three, the Eagles (33-24) had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the eighth after back-to-back one-out hits by Ty Wright and Jonathan King, but Elon escaped by enticing Shehan to fly out and striking out Griffin Benedict.
Georgia Southern was uncharacteristically limited to nine hits, three from Shehan, who finished with five RBIs and two runs scored. Jeremy Beckham and Wright added two hits apiece.
Tony Chisman (1-1) was charged with the loss despite only facing two batters. He lasted 1/3 of an inning, allowing one hit and one earned run.
Reliever Blake Nation had a rough night, surrendering nine earned runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings. Drew Murray pitched the first six innings, giving up five earned runs and 10 hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Shehan quickly gave the Eagles a one-run lead by launching a 1-0 pitch over the fence in right.
The blast followed a scary few moments after GSU right fielder Phillip Porter was hit in the face by a pitch. The junior fell to the ground and later left the game under his own power clenching his left eye/cheek. Initial reports indicated he will be okay, and King filled his spot in the lineup.
Elon took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth with shortstop Chase Austin’s two- homer run to left and went ahead 5-2 the following inning when right fielder Cory Harrilchak connect for a two-run home run to right.
Notes: Thursday’s first pitch was tossed at 10:02 p.m., 13 minutes earlier than Wednesday when GSU’s nearly four-hour marathon lasted until 2:07 a.m… Elon is 3-0 all-time against GSU in the SoCon tournament… Harrilchak has reached safely in 28 straight games for the Phoenix, who have scored 37 runs in their last two games and 63 in their last four… Davis’ team-best 16 homer gave him a school-record 71 RBIs. He brought home two more later in the night.
A big reward
By beating GSU Thursday, Elon earned a major payoff: A day off Friday.
The newly instituted break should be a big boost for pitching staffs often heavily relied on during the tournament.
Second-seeded College of Charleston earned the off day in bracket one by rallying from behind to beat No. 3 seed Furman 12-8 Thursday. The Cougars are sitting pretty after their starter went the distance in their opening game, and they used just three pitchers against the Paladins.
Time changes
Saturday’s games have been moved to noon and 3:30 p.m. because of the threat of rain later in the day. Furman faces No. 6 seed Appalachian in the early game.
Who’s out
No. 9 seed Wofford, the defending tournament champion, was eliminated Thursday by UNCG. Seventh-seeded Western Carolina also went home after falling to Appalachian 10-4.
Tournament fun facts
Prior to Georgia Southern’s Thursday night game, teams were averaging 19.56 runs an outing during the first nine matchups of this year’s tournament. That figure is up significantly from a year ago when an average of 13.19 runs were scored during 16 games.
The 1997 tournament produced a record 218 runs, but the highest average per game came in 1988 (20.17). The event featured just six games that year.
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.
