Pirates Complete Sweep Of Shepherd With 5-2 Win

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Senior Jeff Chase hurled 5 2/3 shutout innings and Josh Wilson clubbed a three-run home run as the Armstrong Atlantic State baseball team completed a three-game sweep of visiting Shepherd with a 5-2 victory on Sunday at Pirate Field.

The Pirates (6-3) pushed across the first run of the game in the bottom of the first as Wilson led off with a single, Juan Dorado moved him over to second on a sacrifice bunt, then Kenny Cail knocked a two-out RBI single to give AASU an early 1-0 lead.

The fourth inning provided the final cushion for the Pirates as Michael Price's RBI single drove home Cail, making the score 2-0. Wilson then crushed a 3-2 pitch over the left field fence for a three-run home run, his second home run of the season, to put AASU up, 5-0.

Meanwhile, Chase limited the Rams (0-3) to just four hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five. He was hit by a ball off the bat of Tyler Beard on a 1-6-3 groundout in the sixth inning, giving way to Bryan Roby on the hill.

Shepherd scored its first run in the seventh on Drew McCormick's one-out triple and an RBI single by Brett Caplan. The Rams threatened again in the eighth, scoring a run on a Nathan Minnich RBI single, but reliever Ryan Smith struck out McCormick and pinch hitter Westley Jenkins to get out of a two-on, one-out jam.

Armstrong Atlantic closer Brandon McCreery pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season. Chase (1-1) picked up the win for the Pirates, while Bryan Wolfe (0-1) gave up seven hits and five runs in four innings, walking one and striking out three, to take the loss.

Wilson finished the day 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead the Pirates offensively. The preseason All-America outfielder went 8-for-12 in the series with seven runs scored. Cail went 2-for-4 with a double.

Minnich was the only Shepherd player to collect multiple hits on the day with a pair.

AASU will next open up its Peach Belt Conference schedule with a 2:00 p.m. contest at GCSU on Saturday, February 21, in Milledgeville.