Bulldogs Notch 8-7 Victory Over Furman
March 16, 2007
GREENVILLE, S.C.--Part one of the Spring Break southern swing ended successfully on Thursday night. Marc Sawyer went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, including the go-ahead tally in the seventh inning, as Yale (5-4) posted an 8-7 victory over Furman (4-11) at Furman Stadium. Stefan Schropp (2-0) gave up one run and struck out four in 3.1 innings of relief to earn the win.
Trailing 6-5 in the top of the seventh, P.J. Gorynski walked to lead off the inning. Furman brought in left-hander Butch Pucitas to face Sawyer, but the Yale first baseman belted an RBI double to tie the game. After Ryan Lavarnway grounded out, Sawyer came across on a double by Charles Bush. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Sawyer scored on a Lavarnway double.
Yale got on the board early, scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first. Furman got one back in the bottom half of the inning, but the Bulldogs made it 3-1 in the top of the third. The Paladins tied the game in the bottom of the third when Bobby Hubbard roped a two-run single.
The Bulldogs pulled in front again in the top of the fifth after Sawyer doubled, then scored on Lavarnway's two-run shot. The Paladins once again responded, plating two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Furman took the lead for the first time in the sixth. Connor Lind walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on Marcus Rose's sacrifice bunt. Lind advanced to third on a Will Stembridge single, then scored on Hubbard's sacrifice fly.
Lavarnway went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and Bush drove in two. Chris Wietlispach got the start for the Bulldogs and struck out six in 5.2 innings.
Hubbard finished a home run short of the cycle for the Paladins, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Charlie Bailes had two RBIs for Furman. Starter Mason Smith struck out three and allowed two unearned runs in two innings of work.
After playing games on six consecutive days, the Bulldogs now make the long bus ride to Florida for their annual swing of games in the Sunshine State. Yale has Friday off before playing two games on Saturday. The Bulldogs will meet Miami (Ohio) at 12 p.m. and Northern Iowa at 4:45 p.m. at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, Fla.
Report filed by Joe Clifford, Yale Sports Publicity
