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Clemson Regional Week
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Pirates shake off heat,
then shake off Eagles
<<< Box Score >>>
By PETE IACOBELLI
AP SPORTS WRITER
CLEMSON, SC (AP) — Darryl Lawhorn and Clayton McCullough had
back-to-back RBI singles in the seventh inning to rally tired and
out-of-gas East Carolina to the NCAA regional championship with a 7-3
victory to eliminate Georgia Southern on Saturday night.
Things don't get much rosier for the Pirates (43-19-1), though. They
would have to beat top-seeded Clemson twice on Sunday to advance to the
NCAA super regional.
Getting by the Southern Conference champion Eagles (39-25) wasn't a sure
thing early on.
East Carolina fell to Clemson 4-2 in a sweltering, 90-degree contest
earlier Saturday, then turned around an hour later for its elimination
match with Georgia Southern.
And the Pirates were more than a step slow early on. They were held to
five singles in the first six innings by Georgia Southern starter Brian
Rogers and trailed 3-2.
In the seventh, though, with the cooling night temperatures, East
Carolina found a way to keep its season going. Warren Gaspar bunted to
lead off and made it to third when catcher Brendan Gilligan threw the
ball down the right field line.
Two batters later, Lawhorn — who had struck out his first three at-bats
— singled sharply to tie the game off reliever Brian Harrison (1-3).
McCullough followed with another single as East Carolina went ahead for
good. Bryant Ward added a run-scoring hit and Luke Cherry brought home
the last run in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Kieran Mattison (2-0) worked an inning in relief for the win. Closer
Neal Sears, who pitched the final 2 2-3 innings of East Carolina's
opening NCAA win over Elon, held Georgia Southern to two hits the last
three innings for his sixth save.
Georgia Southern had its chance, but left 10 runners on base.
The victory also sets up another matchup between Clemson coach Jack
Leggett and one of his best friends and proteges, East Carolina coach
Keith LeClair. LeClair, battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis — known
as Lou Gehrig's disease — has watched the Pirates games from a white van
parked in the first-base side bullpen.
LeClair, 36, first felt the disease's effects a year ago at the NCAA
tournament. He has lost his speech and most of his mobility.
LeClair played and coached for Leggett when they were at Western
Carolina.
Georgia Southern coach Rodney Hennon, who played for LeClair at Western,
ran to the van to congratulate his friend. The Pirates, as they have
after each victory, filed by LeClair's van to wish him well.
<<< Box Score >>>
Copyright 2002
Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bonesville.net
contributed to this report.
02/23/2007 10:45 AM |
