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Friday, February 25, 2005

VIKINGS SKIP PAST #7 SAINT 3-2 IN 11 INNINGS

MOUNT BERRY, Ga. - Palmer Karr scored all three of Berry's runs, the last on a passed ball in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Berry College a 3-2 victory over No. 7 North Georgia in the first game of a Southern States Athletic Conference series at William R. Bowdoin Field in Mount Berry Friday.

Karr drew a walk to open the bottom of the inning, then stole second base.  With first base open, North Georgia opted to intentionally walk Berry cleanup hitter Clay Culpepper.  Britt Hubier followed by drawing another walk to load the bases for designated hitter Jack Cash.  With two two strikes on Cash, North Georgia pitcher Josh Stowe's pitch ricocheted off catcher David Chastain's glove, and Karr dashed home to score the winning run.

Ironically, Karr scored the run in the bottom of the ninth inning that forced extra innings.  After Karr was hit by a pitch by North Georgia closer Kevin Bulger, who went to the mound after playing the first eight innings at third base, Culpepper drilled a double to right field that allowed Karr to score all the way from first base. 

North Georgia scored the game's first two runs in the sixth inning.  In fact, the game's first run was scored the way the game's final run was scored -- on a passed ball.  The Saints (15-7, 4-6) took a 2-0 lead later that inning on a Brett Leja's sacrifice fly that scored Bulger from third base.

Berry (13-5, 7-3) would cut North Georgia's lead in half in the seventh when Hubier delivered his own sacrifice fly that gave Karr the first of his three runs scored.

The day started out as a pitcher's duel between Berry starter Matthew Groce and North Georgia starter Tom Bradley.  Groce allowed just one hit, a ball that right fielder Matt Norris lost in the sun in the fifth inning, over five shutout innings of work, striking out five batters and walking two. 

Bradley went six and two-thirds innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits and a walk while striking out one batter before giving way to Craig McKee with two outs in the seventh inning.

Neither starter would garner a decision, however.

Berry reliever Matt Moorefield came on to start the sixth inning, and pitched four solid innings, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks while collecting four strikeouts.  Charlie Seamans (3-1) started the 10th inning for the Vikings and picked up the win after tossing two shutout innings.  Seamans did not allow a hit or walk, and struck out one batter.

North Georgia used five pitchers in the game.  Stowe (0-1) was tagged with the loss after walking three batters and allowing the unearned run on the passed ball in the 11th inning.

The teams combined for just eight hits in the game, five by the Vikings.  Not one player collected more than one hit.  Karr scored three runs despite going 0-for-3 at the plate.  He walked once, reached on an error and was hit by a pitch in the game.

The teams will play the final two games of the series Saturday, with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Bowdoin Field.  Admission is free.

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