February 27, 2010

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LAURINBURG, N.C.—Junior leftie Jack Crawford (Montgomery, N.Y.) did not allow an earned run in a brilliant complete game but St. Andrews is unable to muster up any runs in the nightcap as visiting Erskine College completed a Conference Carolinas doubleheader sweep, 16-7 & 1-0, Saturday afternoon at Clark Field.

Sophomore Ethan Powell (pictured) is batting .370 for the Knights after smacking three hits against Erskine College on Saturday. Powell also had two RBI.

Junior outfielder Manny Williams (Wilmington, N.C.) and sophomore second baseman/designated hitter Ethan Powell (Greenville, N.C.) were the only two Knights (1-13-1 Overall, 0-8 Conf.) to pick up hits in both games. Manny Williams was 5-for-7 with four stolen bases and three runs scored while Powell was 3-for-8 with two RBI.

Senior left fielder Greg Huff led nine Flying Fleet batters that got hits on Saturday by going 4-for-9 with four runs, two extra base hits, and two RBI. Erskine -- currently ranked No. 25 in the Ping Baseball National Poll and receiving the most votes out of institutions not in the current Collegiate Baseball Top-30 Poll – improves to 12-5 overall and 6-2 in the league.

GAME ONE: Erskine 16, St. Andrews 7
Box Score; Play-By-Play

Erskine broke a 1-1 tie after four innings with a seven-run fifth frame to break the game open. The Flying Fleet added three runs in both the sixth and seventh before scoring two more in the ninth to pull away for the nine-run victory.

Knights’ sophomore starter Tyler Tuttle (Wilkesboro, N.C.) was solid on the mound for the first four innings before being ruffed up to start the fifth. The seven-run outburst was highlighted by a two-run homer by Huff and a Drew Willingham grand slam. Willingham finished with five RBI.

Erskine hit a total of three homers including a two-run shot by John Bolding in the ninth.

After scoring an unearned run in the first, St. Andrews scored two a pair in the seventh and four more in the ninth. Freshman Daniel Oliver (Plymouth, N.C.) and Powell had consecutive two-run singles in the ninth.

Manny Williams was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and junior Michael Cantwell (Burlington, N.J.) rounded the bases twice and had a pair of singles. Powell had the Knights only extra base hit with a double in the eighth.

Tuttle (0-1) fanned eight over 4 1/3 innings of work. Erskine starter Carlton Watts picked up the win allowing just one unearned run over the first six innings while matching Tuttle with eight K’s.

GAME TWO: Erskine 1, St. Andrews 0
Box Score; Play-By-Play

In a pitcher’s duel, the Fleet were the beneficiaries of an unearned run in the fifth inning to escape with a 1-0 victory in the series finale. Russell Reid held the SAPC batters to just four hits over 5 1/3 to earn the victory while closer Atlee Pearson retired the last five Knights in order for his fourth save of the season to complete the shutout.

Crawford had the Knights best pitching performance of the season, scattering five hits over seven innings. Crawford (0-3) did not allow a walk and recorded five strikeouts.

The Flying Fleet tallied the lone run in the fifth as Huff hit a one-out double and then crossed home plate on the Knights third error of the game.

Manny Williams had a leadoff double in the first and a leadoff single in the sixth but the Knights were unable to score him either time.