FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Info. Director
(540) 365-4306

April 9, 2004


Ferrum Splits with Averett in Baseball 
Panthers Clinch USA South Regular Season Title
 
Ferrum, Va. -- Ferrum College split a baseball doubleheader with Averett University tonight, clinching sole possession of this year's USA South Athletic Conference regular season title.  Averett hammered Ferrum15-5 in the opener, only to see the Panthers take the nightcap 3-2.

          Game #1 Box Score & Play-By-Play
          Game #2 Box Score & Play-By-Play

The win gave Ferrum the top seed at this week's USA South Baseball Tournament, to be played at Dan Daniel Memorial Park in Danville Thursday through Sunday, April 15-18.  Ferrum has won seven league titles, all under Head Coach Abe Naff.  The Panthers also won Dixie Conference (now USA South) baseball regular season titles in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1999, 2002 and 2003.
 
In the opening game, senior outfielder Donnell Stockton (Martinsville, Va./Fieldale-Collinsville), pictured, went 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.  Stockton's homer, a solo shot to center field, came in the bottom of the fourth inning and trimmed Averett's lead to 7-3.
 
Junior shortstop Quincy Davenport (Bedford, Va./Liberty) went 2-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI, senior catcher Kevin Griffin (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) went 2-4 with a double and an RBI, and senior DH Thomas Meeks (Rocky Mount, Va./Franklin County) went 2-3 with an RBI.

Senior Carlos Sanchez (Stanleytown, Va./Bassett) absorbed the loss.  Sanchez pitched 5.2 innings, allowed 13 hits and struck out four, and walked none.

In game two, Meeks had a stellar game both on the mound and at the plate.  He scattered five hits over eight innings, walked one, and struck out 10.  At the plate, Meeks went 3-3 with three singles, scored a run, and was hit by a pitch.  Sophomore Jesse Bowles (Boones Mill, Va./Franklin County) was credited with the save, pitching the ninth inning with no hits, a walk, and two strikeouts.  Freshman first baseman Brett Thomas (Danville, Va./George Washington) went 2-3.

Ferrum (23-8, 15-5 USA South) will face Averett (20-17, 11-9) again tomorrow in the third and final game of the USA South series.  The game is set to begin at 2 p.m. at Panther Field.  For more information, please contact the Ferrum College Sports Information Office at (540) 365-4306.
 
 
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