MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Freshman
Aidan Ponder (Merrimack, N.H.) drove in the winning run with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the opener and added a clutch two-run single in the nightcap to help Plymouth State University sweep Cairn University in a pair of games at the Myrtle Beach College Baseball Spring Training at the Polo Grounds on Thursday.
Plymouth State clawed back from a 3-0 deficit in the late innings of the opener. PSU scored a run in the fifth and Ponder crossed the plate as the tying run an inning later on a bases loaded hit by pitch. Ponder came to the plate in the seventh with one out and the bases loaded and lofted a fly ball to centerfield, deep enough for pinch runner
Connor Dobson (South Portland, Maine) to score the winning run.
The Panthers used a four-run third to take a 4-1 lead in game two. Ponder knocked in two with a base hit up the middle and later came in to score on a sac fly. The pitching did its job to preserve the lead as Plymouth State went on to a 4-2 win.
With the sweep Plymouth State evens its record at 5-5 on the season, while Cairn drops to 1-8.
The Basics:
- Game 1: Plymouth State 4, Cairn 3
- Game 2: Plymouth State 4, Cairn 2
- Plymouth State (3-5)
- Cairn (1-6)
How it Happened (Game One):
- Cairn used a two-out rally to push three runs across in the top of the third.
- The Panthers put two on in the third and fourth innings, but were unable to come up with the big hit.
- PSU finally broke through in the fifth. Senior Alex Rives (Gilford, N.H.) doubled and sophomore Danny Quinn (Holliston, Mass.) roped a two-out single to center to make it 3-1.
- Senior Bryan McGrath (Franklin, Mass.) tripled to start the sixth. An RBI groundout cut the margin to 3-2 and Ponder knocked a pinch hit single to left. Rives followed with a base hit and a walk and hit batter forced home the tying run.
- Junior Joshua Welsh (East Lyme, Conn.) singled to start the seventh. Sophomore Scooter Summa (Ellicott City, Md.) beat out an infield hit with one down and a walk loaded the bases to set up Ponder's game-winning sac fly.
By the Numbers (Game One):
- Plymouth State had 10 hits while limiting the Highlanders to five.
- McGrath (single, triple) and Rives (single, double) had multi-hit games. Rives also worked a walk.
- Junior Luke Sokolski (Waterford, Conn.) reached base twice with a single and a walk.
- Senior Trey Parker (Meriden, N.H.) went the distance, scattering five hits and allowing three runs while striking out five for the complete game win to improve to 2-0 on the year.
How it Happened (Game Two):
- Plymouth State loaded the bases in the first but was unable to score.
- The Highlanders got on the board in the bottom of the frame with a walk and two singles to go up 1-0.
- Quinn and McGrath ripped back-to-back ground-rule doubles to tie the game in the third. A hit batter and wild pitch put runners on second and third and Ponder's single up the middle scored both runners. Later in the inning, senior Griffin Crane (Lancaster, N.H.) lifted a sac fly to right to push the margin to 4-1.
- Ponder doubled to start the fifth and Sokolski's single put runners on the corners, but the Highlanders escaped with three groundball outs.
- Cairn cut the margin to 4-2 with a run in the sixth, but freshman Tyler Hicks (Jefferson, N.H.) escaped a bases loaded jam with an out at the plate and ground ball to preserve the lead.
- Cairn put the tying run on base in the seventh, but sophomore Jason Smith (Charlestown, Mass.) came on to record a pair of fly outs for his first career save.
By the Numbers (Game Two):
- McGrath had a pair of doubles, while Ponder doubled and singled.
- Four of the Panthers' nine hits went for extra bases.
- All nine batters reached base at least once.
- Senior Bobby Cliche (Stratham, N.H.) allowed one run over the first three innings.
- Freshman Ryan Fogell (Coventry, R.I.) picked up the win with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief.
- Smith recorded the final two outs for his first career save.
Up Next:
- Plymouth State kicks off its Little East Conference (LEC) slate a week from Saturday (Mar. 25) with a trip to #5 Eastern Connecticut State. First pitch for game one is set for 12:00 p.m.
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