BASEBALL

Writer: Anthony Jeffries, Sports Information Director
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February | March | April

February

February 8, 2006

Vias gets two hits in Saint Augustine’s baseball loss to UNC Pembroke

Justin Vias had two hits Wednesday in Saint Augustine’s 10-0 baseball lossto UNC Pembroke. The Falcons are 0-1 while the Braves improved to 4-1. Vias, who also pitched eight innings, was 2-for-4 at the plate and second baseman Jonathan Guerra was 1-for-3 for the Falcons. Saint Augustine’s College plays two doubleheaders this weekend. The Falcons visit St. Andrews in Laurinburg Saturday (Feb. 11) and Catawba College in Salisbury Sunday (Feb. 12). The twinbills start at 1 p.m. on both days.

February 13, 2006

Meshaw goes 3-for-3 in second game of baseball doubleheader against Catawba

Dennis Meshaw was perfect at the plate for Saint Augustine’s College during the second game of a doubleheader against Catawba Sunday (Feb. 12).

The Falcons’ shortstop produced three hits in as many at-bats during a 10-1 loss. Catawba also won the first game 18-0. In the second game, pitcher Justin Vias and first baseman Sterling Walker (double) each collected a hit for the Falcons, who totaled 5 hits and no errors in the second contest. Second baseman Johnathan Guerra scored the Falcons’ only run. In the first game, Walker and third baseman Azor Cloud each had a hit for the Falcons.

Saint Augustine’s dropped to 0-3 overall while Catawba, ranked fourth in NCAA Division II, improved to 6-1.

February 16, 2006

Chambers gets two hits in Falcons’ loss to North Carolina Wesleyan

Left fielder Aaron Chambers collected two hits and first baseman Sterling Walker got a double Thursday but it wasn’t enough as host North Carolina Wesleyan defeated Saint Augustine’s College 5-0 in non-conference baseball action at Bauer Field. The loss was the Falcons’ fourth in as many games but they played their most competitive contest of the early season.

Chambers was 2-for-3 at the plate and Walker was 1-for-3. Walker, a Broadnax, Va., native, has three hits in four games. For the contest, the Falcons collected three hits while North Carolina Wesleyan (1-0 overall) had nine hits.

The Falcons play Bluefield State Friday (Feb. 17) in a doubleheader at Danville, Va. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

February 22, 2006

Vias, Burnside of Saint Augustine’s College both collect three hits in loss to Coker

Justin Vias and Godfrey Burnside of Saint Augustine’s College each had three hits in a 21-1 baseball loss to Coker College Tuesday. Both players were 3-for-4 at the plate.

Vias scored the Falcons’ only run on Sterling Walker’s RBI double in the top of the first inning. The hit was Walker’s fourth in five games and his third double of the season. Charles Whitaker collected the other hit for the Falcons, who totaled 8 hits.

The Falcons (0-3 overall) host Coker (6-3-1) in a rematch Feb. 28 in Raleigh at 2 p.m.

February 27, 2006

Thomas homers in second game of doubleheader against Bluefield State

Centerfielder Chrishauna Thomas of Saint Augustine’s College hit a home run Friday during the second game of a softball doubleheader against Bluefield State.

Thomas scored on an inside-the-park homer in the sixth inning of a 7-1 loss at Oakwood Park. The home run is the first this season for Thomas, a junior.

Bluefield State also won the first contest 17-3. Antoinette Bailey, Chantle Floyd and Kyuanna Foxx scored runs for the Falcons.

The Falcons’ record is 0-4 while Bluefield State is 6-2.

March 9, 2006

Saint Augustine’s College loses to Lander and Lincoln Memorial

Saint Augustine’s College lost to Lander 10-4 and Lincoln Memorial 9-1 Thursday in the first day of the Lander Spring Break Classic.

Against Lander, right fielder Alphonso Burnette of the Falcons was 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Charles Whitaker and Dennis Meshaw both drove in a run, and Godfrey Burnside stole a game-high two bases.

Against Lincoln, Sterling Walker led off the seventh inning with a home run to left field for the Falcons’ only run. Walker finished 2-for-4 and Aaron Chambers was 2-for-3.

The Falcons play both teams again Friday (March 10). The Lincoln game starts at noon and the Lander contest begins at 4 p.m.

The Falcons (0-7 overall) are one of four teams participating in the four-day baseball event.

Lander upped its record to 13-6 overall and Lincoln Memorial improved to 12-7. /p> Back to Top

March 13, 2006

Saint Augustine’s College pounds out season-high 12 hits in loss to Bloomsburg

Saint Augustine’s College pounded out a season-high 12 hits in a 16-4 loss to Bloomsburg Saturday in the Spring Break Classic hosted by Lander University.

Fidell George keyed the Falcons’ attack by going 4-for-4 with two doubles and one RBI. Aaron Chambers was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Dennis Meshaw and Charles Whitaker both were 2-for-4.

The Falcons (0-10 overall) scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. George doubled down the left field line to score Sterling Walker, who led off with a double. Chambers hit a two-RBI single to score George and Reginald Holmes, who reached base on a walk. In the eighth inning, Chambers scored on a throwing error after reaching base on a single to center field.

The three-day event included Saint Augustine’s College, Bloomsburg (2-4 overall), Lincoln and host Lander.

March 20, 2006

Saint Augustine’s College edges Virginia State for first CIAA baseball win

Saturday was a day of extremes for the Saint Augustine’s College baseball team.

After losing a high-scoring affair at Emery Field, the Falcons bounced back to defeat Virginia State 4-3 Saturday for their first CIAA victory of the season.

Runs were few in the second game of the doubleheader after a 23-19 Virginia State victory in the first game. In the second game, pitcher Justin Vias hurled a four-hitter to keep the Trojans at bay while the Falcons’ batters scratched out enough hits (6) to support him. Vias went the distance in the seven-inning contest.

Victory wasn’t assured, however, until the sixth inning when Charles Whitaker scored from third base on a throwing error for the final margin. The Trojans then went down in order in the seventh inning behind the pitching of Vias and a stout Falcons’ defense. Vias’ four-hitter is his best outing of the season.

Azor Cloud collected two RBIs on 1-for-2 hitting to lead the Falcons, and Godfrey Burnside and Alphonso Burnette each drove in a run. Both Dennis Meshaw and Whitaker had a base hit.

In the first game, balls flew all over the field as both teams combined for 35 hits on a windy day. The biggest hit was Sterling Walker’s two-RBI home run which sailed over the left field fence in the fifth inning. But the Trojans had more hits (19-16) and scored more runs.

Down 23-13 entering the seventh inning, the Falcons almost pulled off a miraculous rally. They scored six runs but the Trojans held on.

Several Falcons had two or more hits in the first game led by Burnside’s three hits. Falcons with two hits included Meshaw, Vias, Whitaker, Fidell George and Burnette.

The Falcons improved to 1-12 overall and 1-1 in the CIAA. Virginia State is 7-6 and 3-1.

The Falcons face arch-rival Shaw March 22 (Wednesday) in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

March 28, 2006

Saint Augustine’s College falls to Saint Andrews in baseball doubleheader

Saint Andrews Presbyterian College defeated Saint Augustine’s College 11-2 and 10-3 Monday in a non-conference baseball doubleheader.

In the first game, the Falcons led 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning. Azor Cloud led off with a single to left field and scored on Sterling Walker’s double to right centerfield. Walker later scored on a double play.

But Saint Andrews scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Knights added two runs in the fifth inning and three runs in the sixth inning to seal the win. Dennis Meshaw collected two of the Falcons’ five hits.

In the second game, the Falcons led 1-0 in the top of the first inning on Cloud’s single that scored Justin Vias. The Knights tied the game in the same inning but the Falcons regained the lead 2-1 in the second inning when Aaron Chambers scored on a bases loaded infield error.

But Saint Andrews erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning that led to the win. The Falcons scored their final run in the sixth inning when Meshaw crossed home plate on an infield error. Fidell George led the Falcons with two hits.

The doubleheader was originally scheduled February 11 but was postponed twice. The Falcons play another non-conference doubleheader Wednesday (March 29) when they visit Barton College. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

March 31, 2006

Whitaker homers in second game of Saint Augustine’s-ECSU baseball twinbill

Charles Whitaker of Saint Augustine’s College belted a three-run homer Friday in the second game of a CIAA baseball doubleheader between the Falcons and Elizabeth City State, which swept both contests 15-4 and 13-9 at Emery Field.

Whitaker’s home run sailed over the fence in left-center field in the first inning. It cut Elizabeth City State’s lead to 6-3 but the Vikings padded the margin to 9-3 in the fourth inning. The Falcons didn’t quit, however, as they scored three runs in the fifth inning. Dennis Meshaw started the rally with a double and then scored on a single by Justin Vias, who scored on Sterling Walker’s single. Azor Cloud later scored on Whitaker’s single.

The Falcons added three more runs in the sixth inning. Fidell George scored on Meshaw’s sacrifice fly, and Reginald Holmes scored on Vias’ fielder’s choice. Vias then scored on an infield error to narrow the Vikings’ lead to 10-9 heading into the seventh inning. But Elizabeth City State sealed the win with three runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Four Falcons batted 2-for-4 in the second game including Whitaker, Vias, Cloud and Walker. Whitaker led the team with four RBIs and Vias added two. As a team, the Falcons collected 12 hits.

In the first game, Cloud was 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs to lead Saint Augustine’s, which tallied five hits. Vias was 1-for-4 with one RBI and Holmes was 2-for-3.

The Falcons dropped to 3-18 overall and 3-3 in the CIAA while Elizabeth City State improved to 13-11 overall and 4-4 in the conference.

The Falcons visit Virginia State Saturday (April 1) in a league doubleheader. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

April

April 1, 2006

Saint Augustine’s College splits with Virginia State after rallying in second game

Saint Augustine’s College rallied in the last inning to top Virginia State 7-4 Saturday in the second game of a CIAA baseball doubleheader. Virginia State won the first game 14-9 with all its runs coming in the third inning.

In the second game, the Falcons erased a 4-3 deficit with four runs in the seventh inning, and then held on in the bottom half for the victory. With the win, the Falcons improved to 4-4 in the CIAA while the Trojans dropped to 11-3. Fidell George, Alfonza Jackson and Azor Cloud each hit a double to lead the Falcons. Justin Vias was the winning pitcher after relieving Clyde Bailey in the sixth inning.

In the first game, Cloud led the Falcons with a double.

The Falcons will take a week off before facing Shaw April 8 (Saturday) at Lions Park in a doubleheader. The first game starts at 1 p.m.

April 11, 2006

Nine-run inning keys Saint Augustine’s baseball victory over Shaw

A nine-run second inning sparked Saint Augustine’s College past Shaw 15-10 this past weekend in the first game of a CIAA doubleheader between crosstown rivals.

Azor Cloud’s three-run triple and Fidell George’s two-run double were the highlights of the second inning, which also included a Johnathan Guerra RBI double and a Charles Whitaker RBI single. The second-inning rally erased a 4-0 Shaw lead.

The Falcons led 9-4 and never trailed the rest of the game. Justin Vias, relieving starter Clyde Bailey in the second inning, scattered eight hits, struck out three and walked three.

Cloud was 1-for-3 with a triple and a team-high four RBIs, and Guerra was 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. George was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBIs, and Aaron Chambers was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Overall, the Falcons pounded out 13 hits.

In the second game, Shaw won 12-5. For the Falcons, Vias was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBIs. He was the starting pitcher before Bailey relieved him in the third inning.

The Falcons, 5-5 in the CIAA, host Shaw Wednesday (April 12) at Emery Field on campus in a CIAA doubleheader rematch at 1 p.m. The contest is the Falcons’ last home game of the season.

April 12, 2006

Saint Augustine’s, Shaw split baseball doubleheader

Saint Augustine’s College edged Shaw 14-13 Wednesday in the final at-bat after overcoming a six-run first-inning deficit in the first game of a CIAA baseball doubleheader at Emery Field. The Bears bounced back in the second game with a 16-1 victory.

In the first game, Azor Cloud hit an RBI single to score Johnathan Guerra for the winning run in the seventh inning. Guerra reached base on a single and advanced to third base on a throwing error while attempting to steal second base.

Charles Whitaker led the Falcons with four RBIs on 3-for-4 batting including two triples. Cloud added three RBIs on 2-for-4 hitting and Sterling Walker was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a triple and two RBIs. Wining pitcher Justin Vias added two triples on 2-for-4 hitting. For the Bears, Averill Bryant was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Lee Smith was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs.

In the second game, Cloud was 3-for-3 at the plate and Whitaker added a triple, his third of the day, and one RBI to lead the Falcons.

The Falcons’ record is 6-8 in the CIAA and 6-23 overall. They end the regular season Saturday at Saint Paul’s in a doubleheader which starts at 2 p.m.

April 18, 2006

Saint Augustine’s closes regular season with sweep of Saint Paul’s

Saint Augustine’s College ended the baseball regular season on a positive note, sweeping Saint Paul’s in a CIAA doubleheader April 15.

Neither game was close as the Falcons won 19-3 in the first game and 14-3 in the second game. The victories give the Falcons momentum as they prepare for this week’s CIAA Baseball Tournament which runs April 19-21.

In the first game, the Falcons led 19-0 before the Tigers scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. For the Falcons, Charles Whitaker drove in three runs on 2-for-3 batting. Justin Vias was 4-for-5 with two RBIs, and Alphonso Burnette was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.

Dennis Meshaw was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Azor Cloud was 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. As a team, the Falcons collected 20 hits while Burnette, the winning pitcher, scattered eight hits and recorded nine strikeouts in seven innings.

In the second game, the Falcons scored 10 runs in the third inning to put away the Tigers. Both Cloud and Reginald Holmes led the way with three hits and three RBIs. Cloud was 3-for-4 with a home run and Holmes was 3-for-4 with a double giving him six hits in two games. Whitaker added two hits and one RBI on five at-bats as the Falcons totaled 12 hits overall. Godfrey Burnside was the winning pitcher after allowing six hits and striking out nine batters.

The Falcons gained the conference’s fourth seed with an 8-8 league mark. Overall, they finished the regular season 8-23.

April 18, 2006

Saint Augustine’s faces Virginia State in CIAA Tournament first-round matchup

Fourth-seeded Saint Augustine’s College plays top-seeded and tournament host Virginia State Thursday (April 20) at 10 a.m. in the first round of the CIAA Baseball Championships. Second-seeded Elizabeth City State faces third-seeded Shaw at 1 p.m. in the other first-round contest on Virginia State’s campus in Petersburg, Va.

The four-team double-elimination tournament lasts three days concluding with Saturday’s championship round. Listed below is the CIAA Baseball Championship Schedule.

Thursday, April 20
Game 1 Virginia State vs. Saint Augustine’s 10 a.m.
Game 2 Elizabeth City State vs. Shaw 1 p.m.
Game 3 Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 4 p.m.
Friday, April 21
Game 4 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 11 a.m.
Game 5 Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 22
Game 6 Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 1 p.m.
Game 7 Tiebreaker (30 minutes following if necessary)

April 21, 2006

Saint Augustine's topples top-seeded Virginia State

Fourth-seeded Saint Augustine’s College scored seven runs on six hits and a Virginia State error in the eighth inning to topple the top-seeded host Trojans 10-6 in the first game of the CIAA Baseball Championships Thursday. The Falcons will face crosstown rival Shaw, a 12-8 winner over defending champion Elizabeth City State, this morning at 11 a.m. in the winner’s bracket of the four-team double-elimination tournament.

Azor Cloud led the Falcons with two doubles and two RBIs on 3-6 hitting. Godfrey Burnside was 2-for-3 with a double and 1 RBI and Johnathan Guerra was 2-for-4. Clyde Bailey got the win and Justin Vias earned the save. The Falcons beat the Trojans for the third time in five games this season.

Saint Augustine’s 10, Virginia State 6
Saint Augustine’s 001 010 071 - 10 12 2
Virginia State 040 000 002 - 6 9 3
Bailey, Vias (8) and Whitaker; Shelton, Burton (7), Knight (8) and Jennings.
W-Bailey. Sv-Vias. L-Shelton.

Leading hitters: Saint Augustine’s-Cloud 3-6 (2 2B, 2 RBIs), Burnside 2-3 (2B, 1 RBI), Guerra 2-4; Virginia State-Knight 2-4 (2B, 2 RBI), Wood 2-4 (3B, 1 RBI), Wade 2-3 (3B, 1 RBI).

Records: Saint Augustine’s 9-23; Virginia State 17-11.

April 21, 2006

Meshaw of Saint Augustine’s named to All-CIAA baseball team

Second baseman Dennis Meshaw of Saint Augustine’s College was selected to the 2006 All-CIAA baseball team Wednesday. Meshaw, a junior from Elizabethtown, N.C., is among the CIAA leaders with 52 assists entering this week’s league baseball championships. He also is one of the Falcons’ top hitters with a .352 batting average. This is the second straight year Meshaw received a conference honor. In 2005, he made the CIAA All-Rookie baseball team.