Culberson, Armstrong Atlantic Win PBC Baseball Tournament

aasu_champMay 13, 2007
Spartanburg, S.C. - The Armstrong Atlantic State Pirates got a complete-game performance from freshman pitcher Blake Culberson as they defeated the USC Aiken Pacers 5-2 to win the 2007 PBC Baseball Tournament Championship in Spartanburg on Friday.   The tournament title is the first for Armstrong Atlantic State in their PBC history and the Pirates, entering the tournament as the #5 seed, become the lowest-seeded team to win the tournament title.  AASU will earn the conference’s automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA South Atlantic Regional next week.

“It was a long day,” said Armstrong Atlantic State head coach Joe Roberts.  “It started last night, but we hung in there.  We adversity around midnight and we had adversity around noon.  We hung in there and I am happy for our guys.

“We came here hoping to do whatever we needed to get to the regional.  We did all those things.”

AASU put across the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning.  With the bases loaded and one out following one of the four USCA errors committed in the game, Truman Marek lofted a sacrifice fly to center.   But the Pirates could not bring home any more as Tyler Evans struck out to end the inning.

USC Aiken answered with their first run in the top of the third.  Marc Joehnk sent a line drive single into left field where it was misplayed by Eric Hudson, allowing Joehnk to reach third.  He later scored on a wild pitch.

The Pirates went back up with one run each in the fourth and fifth.  In the fourth, AASU once again had the bases loaded, this time with nobody out.  Josh Dallas ground into a double play that allowed the run from third to score, but that would be all they would get in the fourth.  In the fifth, Sean Hotzak’s sac bunt attempt was mishandled by the Pacer defense, allowing Josh Wilson to score.

AASU stretched the lead to four in the sixth with two runs.  Standing on first, Dallas stole second but the throw from USCA catcher Josh Eachues ended up in center field allowing him to reach third.  He then scored on an RBI single from Tyler Evans.  Evans scored on a triple from tournament MVP Josh Wilson.

That was more than enough for Culberson (4-2).  The freshman righty tossed his first complete game of the season, scattering seven hits and allowing two runs, one earned and striking out five.   Culberson raised the blood pressure of Pirate fans in the top of the ninth as Darry Pui hit a solo home run and Zach Cooper singled, but Culberson induced a 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

“I was a little nervous,” said Culberson.  “As soon as we got out there and got some outs, I was okay.  We made some good plays on defense.”

Wilson finished the game 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI to earn the MVP award.  The freshman from Springfield, Ga., hit .458 during the tournament with a double, two triples, a home run and 10 RBIs.  Joey Davis went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Marc Noble went 3-for-4.

Eachues finished the day 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Pacers.  Raborn was the only other Pacer to collect more than one hit, going 2-for-4.  Edwin Keeler (2-2) took the loss for USCA, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing five runs, two earned, on nine hits.

For his efforts, Culberson was named to the All-Tournament team along with AASU’s Marek.  USCA’s Gary Lee, Raborn and Eauches were also All-Tournament along with Francis Marion pitcher Dylan Owen and the Columbus State duo of Brad Linton and Rodney Rutherford.

“There were two freshmen out there starting the championship game,” said USC Aiken head coach Kenny Thomas.  “Our guy pitched extremely well.  There guy pitched well, extremely well.  He kept us off balance.  They got a couple of hits when they needed to and we didn’t.  We played hard.  Our seniors played their hearts out and I could never be more proud of them.”

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