Baseball remains perfect in conference with sweep
A seemingly constant 25 to 35 mph wind gust was just one factor (for good and bad) in the Utah State baseball club’s weekend sweep of the Eastern Washington Eagles.
USU’s Mark Larsen, Justin Johnson and Chris Gorrell were the other catalysts as each totaled three home runs through the Aggies’ 17-5, 19-8, 14-12, and 13-11 victories over the Eagles (two games played Saturday and two Sunday).
The first three wins will count toward USU’s Western Mountain Conference record (9-0), while all four go to its overall record (16-9).
The northbound wind made life miserable for both teams’ pursuit of virtually anything hit into the air.
As the scores show, the Aggies had their way during Saturday’s games, but had slightly more trouble Sunday.
Surprising was the lame-duck fight the Eagles (12-11, 3-6 in the WMC) put up through the first two games (both of which the Aggies never trailed by more than one run), considering the solid start EWU had to the season, said USU Head Coach Ernie Rivers.
“I’m somewhat disappointed for the first two games from these guys because we 10-runned them both [games],” he said. “[Sunday] was a good effort on their part, but I really thought they’d be better, especially after starting [the season] 8-0.”
In Sunday’s two contests, USU, winners of 10 straight, fell behind early, but had little trouble battling back.
Down 12-8 in the bottom of the sixth, USU’s Luke Berman hit a home run over the center field fence, driving in three runs.
Larsen was up two batters later and nailed the ball over center, bringing in two more runs for a lead the Aggies would not give up.
In the final game, the home squad fell behind 7-1 through two innings, but a five-run, five-hit bottom of the second (including a two-RBI single from backup first baseman Jacob Little) and a four-hit, six-run bottom of the fourth (which included a Corey Fletcher three-run double) secured a win.
“[Sunday’s] games are more of what I expected,” Berman said. “But hey, we’ll take them how we get them.”
Weber State also won both their games at Boise State, setting up an intriguing matchup in two weeks between the Aggies and Wildcats. USU must win two of three to qualify for Nationals, which are held in Florida.
Bench-clearing brawl may earn Shepherd one-game seat
Aggie left fielder Jared Shepherd sat out Sunday’s first game because of a brouhaha he was involved in during the bottom of the fourth inning of Saturday’s first contest.
Eagle right-hander Dough Fraley was on the mound and had already given up 11 runs before USU second baseman/shortstop Adam Hislop came up to bat.
Hislop launched the second pitch over right field, sending in three runs. Shepherd was up next, and before Fraley threw his first pitch, Shepherd said he told the umpire to warn the pitcher (which he did not do), who had already hit four batters.
The first pitch hit Shepherd on the hip and he threw his bat to the dirt in disgust before beginning to exchange profanity with Fraley.
The two walked toward each other, and Fraley pushed Shepherd, who swung and decked Fraley in the head. Then, the benches cleared.
“It’s a little bit of baseball retaliation,” said Shepherd, referring to the fact Fraley threw near the head or hit each USU batter after a home run had been hit.
“Something’s got to be said. Things like that happen in the heat of the battle,” Shepherd said. “You have to stick up for your players. The umps didn’t take control of the situation early in the game, and that’s why it got out of hand.”
Shepherd chose to sit out of Sunday’s game, hoping for leniency, in case the National Club Baseball Association chooses to discipline him for the incident.
Larsen still home-run king
His three home runs this weekend give him 15 for the season, well ahead of the University of Virginia’s Michael Priest, who had seven before this weekend’s games.
In addition to Larsen’s league-leading total, Shepherd leads the NCBA in stolen bases with 30. Heading into the weekend, Shepherd had 28 steals – 12 ahead of Stanley Roden of Middle Tennessee State.
-samhis@cc.usu.edu