March 14, 2008

Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Jay Jackson pitched eight strong innings of baseball and Justin Holloway belted a third inning grand slam to propel Furman to a 10-1 win over High Point Friday evening in the opener of a four-game weekend series at Furman Stadium.

Jackson (4-0), a junior right-hander from Taylors, S.C., gave up two hits in the first inning, including a solo home run, but quickly settled down, allowing only two hits the rest of the way en route to his fourth consecutive win on the young season. He retired 13 straight Panthers during one stretch and finished the game with eight strikeouts and two walks. Senior right-hander Will Feemster, a product of Greenville's J.L. Mann High School, pitched a perfect ninth in his first appearance of the year.

Holloway, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 in the contest and drove in a game high five runs. His third inning grand slam to left field off High Point starting and losing pitcher Ryan Basham (0-4) broke open a 3-1 contest.

Joey Rodgers went 3-for-3 and added a solo home run for Furman in the ninth to cap the Paladins' 10-hit attack. Marcus Rose and Ryan Lee joined Holloway with two hits each for Furman.

Jeff Cowan had two of High Point's four hits.

The win improves Furman to 9-4 on the season while High Point falls to 3-12.

After Pablo Rosario's solo home run to right field in the first gave High Point a 1-0 lead, Furman answered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Lee's RBI single through the right side scored Marcus Rose, and Campbell Lewis' RBI grounder plated Connor Lind to give the Paladins a 2-1 lead. Holloway capped the frame with an RBI single that scored Lee to make it 3-1.

That's all the run support Jackson would need as the former Christ Church Espiscopal School standout allowed a one-out triple in the second inning but stranded the runner after retiring Max Fulginiti on a soft infield liner and striking out Chris Norwood looking.

In the High Point third Jackson walked Murray White to lead off the frame and grazed Bobby Kuzdale to put runners at first and second. He recovered, however, by striking out Rosario looking and inducing a double play groundout off the bat of Billy Alvino.

In the Furman third Bobby Hubbard drew a leadoff walk, and Lee followed with a single to left center field. With one out Reese Wade walked to load the bases, and Holloway stepped in and drilled a Basham offering over the left field field for the Paladins' first grand slam since the 2005 season.

The Paladins made it 9-1 with a two-run fifth on Rose's two-run single down the left field line.

The two teams are scheduled to play a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.