Preston Powers Blue Eagles Past Redbirds In Extras
Web Posted July 2, 2010
Cameron Aiken

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Aaron Preston (Presbyterian) went two for four with a homerun and two RBI’s to lead the Spartanburg Blue Eagles to a 4-2 extra inning’s victory over the Asheville Redbirds in game two of the doubleheader.

Asheville jumped out to a quick lead in the first inning as centerfielder Tyler Davis (Hawaii Pacific University) led off with a double to left field and came around to score two batters later as a result of a sacrifice fly.

However, the Blue Eagles responded quickly when Aaron Preston tied the game at one with a solo homer in the second inning.

“I’ve seen his (Jacob White) fastball before because he came in the other night and pitched against us, said Preston after the game. “I was sitting fastball and that’s exactly what he threw.”

The Blue Eagles struck again in third when Blue Eagle first baseman Gaither Bumgardner (USC-Upstate) singled in Jaren Sustar (Charleston Southern) from second giving them a 2-1 lead. Sustar had reached bases on account of a single and had advanced to second after Preston was hit by a pitch.

Blue Eagle starting pitcher Taylor Johnson (USC-Lancaster) shook off his shaky first inning and didn’t allow the Redbirds to score again until the fifth inning when Asheville’s Tommy Reed (Montreat College) led off the inning with a triple off the right field fence and later scored after an infield single to tie the game at two.

Johnson’s night ended after the sixth inning with the game still knotted up at two. He gave up two runs on three hits while striking three and walking four.

Taylor spoke about his outing after the game.

“I pitched pretty good after that first inning, said a Johnson as he chuckled. “Coach kind of came out to the mound and yelled at me because he says I have a football mentality and I respond to being chewed out. I became focused and (Paul) Nitto did a great job of calling pitches that kept their hitters off balanced.”

Johnson pitched well, but his bullpen pitched even better. Chris Knauff (USC-Upstate) came in and pitched scoreless seventh and eighth innings, striking out four and only allowing one hit.

The game stayed tied until the top of the ninth when Preston came through again. On a three-two count, Preston lined a double to right-center field that scored Jaren Sustar all the way from first.

“He (Tyler Collins) just hung a slider and I jumped on it,” said Preston. “I was really expecting a fastball, but the slider I saw was fat and I was able to take it the other way in the gap.”

Tyler Miller (USC-Upstate) later singled in Preston to make the score 4-2 which was secured and saved by pitcher Ryan Connolly (Coastal Carolina) in ninth inning.

Connolly allowed two runners to reach, but was able to get a double play and then a pop-out to end the game. Connolly recorded his second save as a Blue Eagle, the first coming earlier in the day, in game one of the doubleheader.

Chris Knauff was the winning pitcher on the night as he moved to 1-2 on the season. Tyler Collins received the loss as he fell to 0-2 on the summer.

The Blue Eagles moved to 16-11 on the year and are now in second place in the Western division with a 9-5 record.

After the game, Head Coach Ryan Thomas spoke about his team’s success against the Redbirds this past week.

“This week was big because we played four division games, Said Thomas. “Tomorrow is another division game and I feel like the team is really coming together at this point in the year. We are getting comfortable with each other and they are really buying in to me and Dilly’s (Coach Dillenger) Philosophies”.

Spartanburg host the Tennessee Tornado’s in a divisional match-up Saturday afternoon for a doubleheader that begins at 3pm with the second game beginning thirty minutes after the conclusion of the first game.