Georgia Southern Punches Ticket to Championship Game

GREENVILLE, S.C. ? No. 2 seed Georgia Southern pounded out 16 runs on 15 hits as it eliminated No. 8 seed Furman, 16-4, to become the first team to advance to Sunday’s championship game at the 2009 Southern Conference Baseball Championship at Fluor Field.

With the win, Georgia Southern (41-15) advances to face the winner of Elon-The Citadel in the championship game on Sunday at 2 p.m. Furman ends its season at 24-31. The championship game appearance is the Eagles’ first since 2005 and they will be looking for their first title since 2002 and fourth overall.

The Eagles started off the game by scoring seven runs in the first three innings, including four in the second, to take the early 7-0 lead. In the bottom of the eighth after Furman scored three to make it 11-4, the Eagles put the game out of reach with five more runs. On the day, Georgia Southern clubbed two home runs, three doubles and a triple.

Leading the way for the Eagles were a trio of players. Kevin Bowles was 3-for-5 with a home run, a double and five RBIs, Ty Wright went 2-for-6 with a home run and four RBIs and Griffin Benedict had three RBIs.

In a losing effort, Campbell Lewis was 1-for-2 with a home run.

Georgia Southern’s starting pitcher, Matt Murray (6-3), pitched seven innings allowing one run on three hits while striking out a career-best 11. The freshman had a perfect game broken up in the top of the fifth.

Taking the loss was Furman starting pitcher Marc DeDecker (2-1), who gave up four runs in 1.2 innings of work.

Sunday’s championship game, which starts at 2 p.m. ET, will be televised on SportSouth on a tape delay basis, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.