Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 by Benny Benton
SAVANNAH, Ga. – Freshman Andrew Webster and senior Dillon Rubio provided the offense with two-run doubles in games one and two, respectively, and six Barton College pitchers kept a vaunted Armstrong Atlantic State University lineup in check all day as the Bulldogs swept a road doubleheader Sunday against the Pirates, 2-1 and 3-2.
Game one starter Kyle Rufer (1-0) went six innings, scattering six hits and allowing just one run, while game two starter Duncan Everett allowed the Pirates just three hits and a pair of runs in 5 2/3 innings of work.
They were supported by four relievers – Zach Breen, Mike Brienza, Seth Breasseale and Snooter Merryman - who combined for six shutout innings out of the bullpen, allowing just three hits combined. Merryman finished off both games to collect a pair of saves.
With the wins, Barton improved to 3-2 on the season. The losses were the first of the year for AASU (3-2), which was preseason ranked No. 10 in the Southeast Region by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
GAME ONE: Barton 2, Armstrong Atlantic 1
Webster, a third baseman from Pittsboro, N.C., drove in the only runs of the game for the Bulldogs in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out, two-run double to center off AASU starter Mitchell Dolan (0-1). He drove in Collins Cuthrell, who had reached on a fielder's choice, and Rudio, who had reached base on a walk.
Armstrong answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth following a leadoff double by Joey Lupus. Clayton Miller followed with a lineout to center that advanced Lupus to third, and R.J. Dennard drove him in with an infield single to short. Dennard reached third base on an error and a passed ball, but Rufer retired Matt Wisniewski on a liner to right to end the inning.
Both teams tried aggressive moves in the sixth to manufacture a run. Barton did so using a two-out double-steal with runners at the corners, but pinch-runner Bobby Jones was thrown out at home plate to end the inning.
Lupus singled to lead off the Armstrong sixth, and advanced to second on a walk. The Pirates then tried to score Lupus on a single to left off the bat of Dennard, but the throw from outfielder JT Bunce was relayed by Webster to the catcher Merryman at the plate for the out.
On the very next play, Barton took advantage of another strong defensive play, as first baseman Collins Cuthrell successfully dove for a foul ball down the first-base line.
The Pirates threatened one more time in the seventh, as Ryan Patterson drew a one-out walk and Dalton Johnson singled to left. Patterson reached third on a fielder's choice by Tyler Avera, who then stole second to reach scoring position. However, Brienza got a lineout to third to end the threat.
Merryman retired AASU in order in the ninth to collect his first save of the year.
Barton had just five hits in the game, two of those by Webster. However, the Bulldogs also drew five walks, three of those issued by Dolan before he was relieved in the bottom of the fourth.
As a result, the Bulldogs had several scoring opportunities, but stranded nine runners on base, including two each in the first, fourth and seventh innings.
GAME TWO: Barton 3, Armstrong Atlantic 2
Both offenses were shut down early in game two as Everett allowed just two runners to reach base in the first four innings, and AASU starter Tyler Allen used three pickoffs to eliminate Barton baserunners who reached first base.
The Bulldogs finally broke into the scoring column in the top of the fifth. Jacob Willis reached base on an error to start the inning, and Ben Youngblood followed with a single to left. Tyler Garrett put down a bunt on which the pitcher had no play, and the single left the bases loaded with no one out.
Rubio then delivered a double to left, scoring a pair of runs, and Webster drew a walk to reload the bases, but AASU reliever Tyler Green (0-1) used a strikeout and a double-play ball to get out of the inning without allowing further damage.
Everett continued cruising along until the Armstrong sixth, when Patterson led off the inning with a single up the middle, and Brett Madden followed with an infield single to short. Lupus sacrificed both runners over, and Avera produced a groundout to the right side to drive in Patterson with Armstrong's first run.
After Clayton Miller walked, Everett was lifted for reliever Breen, who was greeted with an RBI single to right from Dennard that tied the game at 2-all. However, with two runners still on base, Breen recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
As it had done in the fifth, Barton loaded the bases with no one out in the seventh. Garrett led off with an infield single to short, and Rubio produced another double to move him to third. Webster was intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing Cuthrell to the plate.
Reliever Ryan Good was brought in to face Cuthrell, and uncorked a wild pitch to score Garrett with what would prove to be the game-winning run. Cuthrell then walked to reload the bases, but Good got a lineout and another double-play ball to again limit Barton's scoring chances.
The Bulldogs would collect just one more of their nine hits in the game the rest of the way, but the Barton bullpen kept the door closed on AASU.
Breen, now 2-0 on the season, retired the Pirates in order in the seventh and eighth innings. He stayed out to begin the ninth, but gave up a leadoff single to Miller and a walk to Dennard and was lifted for the closer Merryman. Armstrong sacrificed both runners into scoring position, but Merryman struck out the final two batters to end the game and gain his second save of the afternoon.
Rudio and Garrett each had three hits for the Bulldogs, with Miller collecting two of AASU's five hits.
Barton is scheduled to play its home opener on Wednesday, hosting Chowan University in a 2 p.m. game at Nixon Field.
