Erskine Halts No. 5 Pirates' 14-Game Win Streak, 5-2

DUE WEST, S.C. - The Erskine College baseball squad used 10 different pitchers on Tuesday to halt No. 5-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University's 14-game win streak, downing the Pirates, 5-2, in Due West, S.C.
The Pirates fall to 35-10 on the season with their first loss in the month of April, while Erskine improves to 27-21 with its second straight win.
Armstrong scored a run in the top of the first inning on Casey Maloney's double and Alex Frederick's RBI groundout, then in the top of the third inning, Zach Taylor launched his 15th home run of the season for a 2-0 Pirate lead.
Taylor's 15 home runs are the most for an Armstrong player in a single season since 1999, when Travis Oglesby had 19 home runs.
After that, however, Erskine's bevy of pitchers limited the Pirates to just three hits while striking out six over the final six innings, allowing the Flying Fleet to complete the comeback.
Erskine plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead. Josh Purvis drove in the first run of the inning, then wild pitches by Armstrong starter Travis Morris allowed two more runs to score.
Will Huff added a run in the seventh with a solo home run for Erskine, then in the eighth, Drew Willingham's squeeze bunt RBI capped the scoring.
Joby Moss (2-1) pitched a scoreless sixth inning to pick up the win for the Flying Fleet, while Evan Howard struck out two in the ninth en route to his first save.
Morris (5-2) held the Flying Fleet hitless through the first five innings, but took the loss, giving up two hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings of work, walking two while striking out two.
Armstrong returns to action on Friday, April 28, visiting Georgia College for a 7:00 p.m. Peach Belt Conference contest in Milledgeville, Ga.



