CHARLOTTE COMPLETES BASEBALL SWEEP, TOPPING JMU 8-3

Sunday, March 4

Kannapolis, N.C.

12:00 PM

James Madison University

1-8

Charlotte

10-3

James Madison

Charlotte

3/4/2007 5:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

KANNAPOLIS, N.C., March 4, 2007 ? Charlotte broke up a one-run game with three in the seventh and added two in the eighth as the 49ers defeated James Madison University 8-3 to sweep a three-game series at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium.

Charlotte improved to 10-3. JMU dropped to 1-8 and lost its sixth straight. The Dukes lost for the seventh time in eight games this season when they scored the first run of the game.

The bottom of the order for the 49ers continued to batter JMU pitching, with the last five spots going 12-for-21 with five runs and eight RBIs. In all, the 49ers stroked 43 hits as a team in the three-game series.

Senior Spencer Steedley (Granite Quarry, N.C./East Rowan) earned the win for the 49ers. The southpaw tossed 7 2/3 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on just six hits while striking out eight.

Sophomore lefty Justin Wood (Dayton, Va./Turner Ashby) pitched well for the Dukes but took the loss after surrendering three runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts in six innings.

Junior Alex Burt (Raleigh, N.C./Wakefield) drove in four runs on the day with two hits, including a triple. Senior catcher Kris Rochelle (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. He had a triple and two doubles on the day. Rochelle had JMU's number in the three-game series, going 8-for-9 with five runs and five RBIs. Sophomore Aaron Bray (Charlotte, N.C./Independence) was 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Senior Davis Stoneburner (Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin) went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for JMU. Sophomore Matt Townsend (Lorton, Va./Hayfield) was also 2-for-4 with a double nad an RBI. Freshman Matt Browning (Mystic, Conn./Fitch) was 2-for-3.

For the second day in a row freshman Mike Fabiaschi (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) was hit by the second pitch of the game. He stole second and advanced to third when Rochelle's throw went into center field for an error. Stoneburner grounded out to short to score Fabiaschi.

Junior Brad McElroy (St. Thomas, Ont./Kellogg C.C.) led off the bottom of the second with a single to left field. After Wood nearly picked him off with one down, Rochelle laced an RBI triple to the wall in left center to score the first 49ers' run. With the infield drawn in, Bray hit a sharp ball to first baseman Lee Bujakowski (Hopewell, Va./Hopewell) who bobbled and was unable to throw home in time to get Rochelle. Junior Shayne Moody (Midland, Texas/Brookhaven College) then lined a single to centerfield to set up runners on the corners with one down. Wood recovered to strike out Cory Lane (Kernersville, N.C./Glenn) and the Dukes retired Bray at home on a delayed double steal attempt.

Stoneburner reached on an infield single through the pitcher's legs to second in the fourth. Junior designated hitter Kellen Kulbacki (Palmyra, Pa./Hershey) then lined a ball that bounced off the pitcher's glove and back to the catcher, who couldn't make the throw in time, giving Kulbacki an infield single. Townsend singled to the gap in left center to score Stoneburner and tie the game, but Kulbacki was thrown out at third base on the play.

Rochelle continued to hit JMU pitching, doubling to start a two-out rally in the fourth. Bray hit an infield single to move Rochelle to third. Moody then came through with a double just inside the line to rightfield to score the third Charlotte run.

Rochelle collected his third hit of the day in the sixth with a one-out double down the rightfield line. Bray hit a high fly ball that fell in between Stoneburner and Altieri for a hit. Both runners advanced on a groundout by Moody, but Caseres, a defensive replacement to start the inning, made a diving stab of a line drive by Cory Lane to end the