3/23/2011 1:02:43 AM
It was another exciting Tuesday of college baseball action and several teams made statements while others took steps back.
Here are some thoughts from Tuesday's action:
* Cal State Fullerton starting pitcher Jake Floethe put together a fantastic start against Arizona State in a 7-3 victory. He struck out five and allowed just two runs on four hits in 7 1/3 innings in the winning cause. Offensively, Richy Pedroza and Joe Terry, who will miss this weekend's series against Hawaii because of team rules violations, each had two hits in the game to lead the Titans' cause. The Titans could make a huge statement with another win over the Sun Devils on Tuesday. ASU starting pitcher Jake Barrett was touched for seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings in Game 1.
* South Carolina starting pitcher Colby Holmes only allowed three runs on five hits in six innings, but this game was more about the offense as the Gamecocks captured an impressive 24-4 victory over College of Charleston. South Carolina outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was on track with a 2-for-4 night that included a home run, three runs scored and three RBIs. Leadoff hitter Adam Matthews also had a huge night, going 3-for-6 with a pair of homers and eight RBIs. The Gamecocks earned a dominant midweek win while the Cougars took yet another step back after going 0-3 last weekend at home.
* LSU's struggles continued on Tuesday in a disappointing 11-5 loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. The Tigers got a rough start from Tyler Jones, who allowed two runs in just 1 1/3 innings, while reliever Matty Ott continued to struggle with two runs allowed in just an inning of work. The Ragin' Cajuns had a big day at the plate, led by infielder Greg Fontenot, who recorded four hits, scored three runs and knocked in two. The Tigers now must hope to bounce back on the road against Georgia this weekend. That won't be an easy chore.
* TCU sure has a special arm in freshman hurler Andrew Mitchell. Mitchell struck out five and allowed just a run on five hits in six innings as the Horned Frogs captured a 3-1 win over Texas State. Mitchell's performance overshadowed a stellar showing by Bobcats starting pitcher Lee Colon, who tossed 5 1/3 shutout innings. Aaron Schultz, Taylor Featherston, Jantzen Witte, Jerome Pena and Jimmie Pharr each had two hits for the Frogs as they earned a solid midweek victory.
* Georgia Tech continues to play an excellent brand of baseball. Yellow Jackets freshman right-handed pitcher Matt Grimes allowed just two runs on five hits in six innings as his team captured an impressive 15-6 win over rival Georgia. While Grimes led the way on the mound, third baseman Matt Skole led the way at the plate. Skole slugged a pair of homers, went a perfect 5-for-5, scored two runs and knocked in eight runs. First baseman Jake Davies added a home run and tallied three hits. The Jackets couldn't have put together a more impressive performance against their rivals.
* Clemson starting pitcher Justin Sarratt had a performance to remember as the Tigers captured a 7-2 win over Elon. Sarratt struck out 10 batters and allowed just four hits in six shutout innings. Reliever Alex Frederick also did a great job, striking out three in two perfect frames. Offensively, the Tigers were without Brad Miller and John Hinson, but got solid performances from Will Lamb, Chris Epps and Spencer Kieboom. It was a very solid performance by a team riddled with injuries.
* Miami's pitching staff continues to perform at an extremely high level. Hurricanes starting pitcher Steven Ewing struck out 12 and allowed just a run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings as his club defeated Central Florida 4-1. Neither team did much offensively in the game, with 'Canes second baseman Michael Broad providing all the offense with a sixth inning grand slam.
* Long Beach State and Loyola Marymount are both teams that could be fighting for an NCAA postseason appearance at the end of the season. The Dirtbags earned a solid 3-2 win over the Lions on Tuesday with reliever Matt Johnson providing the most clutch performance with 4 1/3 shutout innings. It was a great win for the Dirtbags as they hope to fully bounce back from a series loss to Oregon State.
* In the upset department, Jacksonville State defeated Auburn 5-4 and Seattle defeated Oregon State 5-4.