Branigan and Edenton Have Perfect Day In Win
Published on June 8, 2012 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Edenton Steamers News Release
GASTONIA, NC - Spencer Branigan pushed his hitting streak to seven games and went 4-for-4, adding his fifth home run of the season in the 9-4 Steamer (7-0) victory over Gastonia (3-7) at Sims Legion Park.
Don Sandifer (Francis Marion) made his first start of the season for Edenton in Gastonia against the Grizzlies in a 2011 Coastal Plain League Petitt Cup Championship Series rematch. On the mound for the Grizzlies, making his second start of the season was right-handed pitcher Matt Lengel.
After a scoreless first inning on both sides, Gastonia jumped out in front 1-0 on Jordan Hunt's second home run of the season.
Edenton was held scoreless through the first three innings, picking up only two hits against Lengel. The score remained 1-0 Gastonia until the top of the fourth when the wheels fell off for the Grizzlies. Spencer Branigan (University of Pennsylvania) led off the inning with a double. Ray Ortega (Manhattan College) followed with an RBI double, picking up his first RBI of the season. Blaise Fernandez (George Mason University) followed with a single that put runners on the corners. Fernandez was caught stealing and Alex Alfonso (Florida Tech) and Michael Green both walked to load the bases. Koby Kraemer (Indiana State University) followed with RBI fielder's choice that put Edenton in front 2-1. On the play there was an error that allowed Green to reach second safely and keep the bases loaded. J.D Pullen (Columbus St. University) then worked an RBI walk to make it 3-1 and Nathan Burns (Florida International University) hit an RBI fielder's choice to finish the scoring at 4-1 Steamers.
In the bottom half of the fourth inning Gastonia put two runs on the board against Sandifer when Hunt and Brad Clement hit back-to-back singles with one out. Austin Ingraham walked to load the bases and with two outs Reid Mathews hit a two-run single to make it 4-3 Steamers heading to the fifth.
Right-handed pitched Tyler Powell relieved Lengel in the fifth. Lengel pitched four innings allowing four runs (two earned), on five hits, five walks and he struck out four.
Powell dispatched the Steamers in the fifth, facing only four batters.
Sandifer came out for the bottom of the fifth but relinquished two singles and a walk and was lifted for Matt Duncan (Morehead St. University), who got out of the bases loaded, two out jam by inducing a fly out by Austin Ingraham.
Sandifer threw four and a third innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on seven hits, three walks and he struck out two.
In the top of the sixth Edenton put the game away by scoring four times with two outs. Pullen began the rally with a walk, followed by a Burns single. Wes Meadows (Otterbein University) knocked in both with a double, his sixth and seventh RBIs of the season making it 6-3 Steamers. Spencer Branigan continued his hot hitting by placing a ball over the right field fence for his fifth home run in seven games and an 8-3 Steamer lead. Branigan is the first Steamer with double digit RBIs on the season with 10.
Gastonia plated a run against Duncan in the bottom of the sixth on three singles to make it 8-4.
Powell, for Gastonia, pitched two innings, allowing five hits, and four runs (all earned) he walked one and struck out none.
After two outs in the bottom of the seventh and a runner at first by way of a single, the Steamers went to D.J Johnson (Mercer University) out of the bullpen. He retired seven hitters in a row to end the game and close out the 9-4 Steamer win after Edenton brought home one more run in the top half of the ninth.
Edenton put together three straight singles against Michael Patman in the ninth with Blaise Fernandez knocking in Branigan for his second RBI of the season.
Duncan earned the win for his two innings of relief, moving to 2-0 on the season. Lengel took the loss falling to 0-1. Branigan finished the game 4-for-4 with two singles a double and a home run and two RBIs.
The Edenton Steamers are a proud member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 16th season in 2012, the CPL features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 930 alumni drafted and 51 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at http://www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to friend us on Facebook (at http://www.facebook.com/coastalplainleague) and follow us via Twitter (as cpleague).
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 8, 2012
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