March 2, 2008

Final Stats

Contact: Greg Murphy

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Charlotte's Shayne Moody hit a two-out bloop single down the rightfield line that scored Brad McElroy with the game-winning run as the 49ers completed a three-game sweep of Cleveland State with a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at R&M Hayes Stadium.

The loss drops CSU to 1-5 this season, while Charlotte improved to 7-1.

"We had oppotunities today, but just couldn't close the deal," head coach Kevin Kocks said. "Shayne is a senior with a lot of experience and he delivered in a key situation.

"We did a lot of positive things this weekend and I think we are way ahead of where we were at this point last season. But we need to put all four phases of the game - hitting, pitching, fielding and base running - together. We are trying to gain as much experience as we can as quick as possible."

The loss spoiled another strong outing from junior Brian Long, who lasted six innings. He allowed two runs, both unearned, on four hits and struck out two. Long, who entered the game with a 2.25 earned run average, lowered that to 1.29 with his performance this afteroon.

"Brian pitched another strong game for us today," Kocks said.

Charlotte took a 2-1 lead after two innings, as defensive miscues led to both 49er runs.

The Vikings came back with a pair of runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead.

Travis Miller started the inning with a single, stole second and moved to third on an error by Charlotte's catcher. Miller came around to score when Brad Buell delivered an RBI single.

Buell was sacrificed over to second by Bobby Cash, advanced to third on a wild pitch and came around to score on a single from Josh Geric.

CSU added another run in the fifth inning as Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. He stole second and came in to score his second run of the game on a Bobby Cash single.

The game stayed that way until the seventh inning when Charlotte's Cory Tilton hit a sacrifice fly that scored Alan Parks.

The Vikings were retired in order in the eighth, but got the leadoff man on in the ninth as Alex Kerins singled. However, Charlotte got a key double play as Nate Radtke struck out on an 0-2 pitch and Kerins was thrown out trying to steal second to end the CSU threat.

Aaron Bray started Charlotte's ninth inning rally with a one-out single. Cory Tilton followed with a fly ball to rightfield for the second out, but back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Moody who flared an 0-2 pitch down the rightfield line just out of the reach of several Vikings.

Vasili Pahoulis (0-2, 1 S) took the loss for CSU. He pitched 1.1 innings, giving up two runs on two hits. Sam Pierce (1-0) worked the ninth inning for the 49ers, striking out two, to earn the win.

Kerins went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Vikings, while Buell, Cash, Geric and Josh Lowe all drove in runs.

Moody finished 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in.

The Vikings will be back in action next weekend when CSU travels to Cincinnati for a three-game series. The opener is slated for Friday, March 7 at 4:00 p.m.