NCWC baseball wins USA South Regular Season Championship

Winchester, VA - North Carolina Wesleyan's baseball team clinched the 2009 USA South Regular Season Championship over the weekend by earning a doubleheader split at 20th-ranked Shenandoah University. The Battling Bishops (20-15) wrapped up their league slate with an 8-4 conference mark, capturing the 16th regular season title in program history and the 4th of head coach Charlie Long's tenure. Wesleyan will now prepare for next week's USA South Conference Tournament in Burlington, NC which is slated to begin on Thursday, April 16th.

On Friday, Wesleyan brought itself to within one game of the title with a 16-3 thumping of the Hornets.

After seeing the lead see-saw back and forth twice in the first three innings, the Bishops broke things open with a seven-run fifth as they sent 11 men to the plate in the frame and chased SU starter Greg Van Sickler (5-2) in the process.

After a crucial fielding error extended the inning, the Bishops ripped three consecutive hits, including a Luke Williford three-run double down the leftfield line.

Bishop starter Ben Moore (5-1) settled down after allowing three runs (two earned) in the first two innings. Moore struck out six and did not walk a batter in the complete game victory.

Williford drove in four runs in the contest, while Zollie Woodlief was 4-for-5 with an RBI.

On Saturday, Shenandoah secured the split with a 5-2 victory over NCWC. Despite the loss, the Bishops clinched the #1 seed by virtue of a 12-2 CNU win over Methodist.

SU's Josh Simons (3-0) tossed a complete game six-hitter for the Hornets (28-6, 5-5 USA South), who will be the #4 seed in the tourney. Simons struck out five and walked just one in tossing the first complete game of his career.

In the first round of the USA South Tournament, the top-seeded Bishops will face the loser of #4 Shenandoah/#5 Greensboro at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday night at Burlington Athletic Stadium. The tournament is double elimination with the champion receiving an automatic bid to the NCAAs. For more information, please visit http://www.averettcougars.com/sports/2009/4/3/BB_0403090119.aspx.
 

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