Pirates Open 2010 Season With DH Sweep Of Salem International

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The No. 28-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State baseball squad opened up the 2010 season successfully with a 15-6, 10-5 doubleheader sweep of visiting Salem International on Saturday at Pirate Field.

The Pirates (2-0) collected 12 doubles in the doubleheader, including nine in game two alone, in picking up the sweep of the Tigers (0-2) in the first-ever meetings between the two teams. The two teams will wrap up the opening weekend series on Sunday with an 11:00 a.m. contest.

Armstrong Atlantic opened up a 5-0 lead in game one with a Michael Price two-RBI double in the second inning, a pair of runs in the third and then a John Roberts solo home run in the fifth. Salem International cut the lead to 5-3 with three runs in the top of the sixth inning, highlighted by Irving de la Concha's two-RBI single.

The Pirates broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth by sending 14 men to the plate in a nine-run frame, building a 14-3 lead and coasting for the 15-6 victory. Thomas Gray (1-0) went six innings, giving up six hits and three runs - two earned - while walking three and striking out seven to pick up the win for AASU. Kevin Demattos (0-1) went four-plus innings, giving up five hits and five runs to suffer the loss for the Tigers.

Game two saw both teams put up four-spots in the first inning. De la Concha's bases-clearing three-RBI double in the top of the fourth put the Tigers up, 3-0, then de la Concha scored on an error to make the score 4-0.

The Pirates answered with five straight hits, including two-RBI doubles by Auston Thomas and Cameron Scott, to tie things up at 4-4. A bases-loaded John Roberts hit-by-pitch drove in a run for the Pirates in the bottom of the second, but the Tigers answered with another de la Concha RBI double in the top of the third inning.

AASU took the lead for good in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch, an RBI single by Michael Price and an error that plated three runs, putting the Pirates up, 8-5. AASU tacked on single runs in the sixth and eighth innings for the final 10-5 margin.

Blake Culberson (1-0) hurled five innings of six-hit ball, giving up five runs - four earned - while walking two and striking out four. Bryan Roby hurled four innings of two-hit shutout ball to pick up his first save of the season. Michael Valasquez (0-1) took the loss for Salem International, giving up 11 hits and eight runs - six earned - in five innings of work.

Roberts led all players at the plate by going 6-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs. Michael Price went 5-for-8 with three doubles, four RBI and three stolen bases. Alex Wyche added four hits in seven at-bats with five RBIs and five stolen bases - four steals in game two alone.

De la Concha led the Tigers by driving in five runs on three hits, including a pair of doubles. Kenneth Demattos had three hits as well for Salem International in the doubleheader.