Rogers hits fourth homer of the season

Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C., April 15, 2009 – Freshman Nick Oelker didn’t have the greatest start to his career. He gave up 35 earned runs in his first five appearances.

But now he seems to have the hang of things. Oelker pitched 6.1 innings, gave up six hits and just two earned runs, but was the tough-luck loser in a 3-1 loss to USC Upstate Wednesday night at Harley Park. C.J. Beatty and Marquis Riley had two hits apiece. It was not a normal night for the Aggies offense that had averaged a little more than 14 hits over the last four games.

But seeing their young pitchers’ continual improvement had to be refreshing for the Aggie coaches. Oelker has progressed to the point where he has given up eight runs in his last 18.1 innings pitched. Oelker gave up just one hit over the first three innings of the game. Jimmy Tanner led off the fourth with a double down the left field line.

He would later score the Spartans first run of the game after Blake Green singled him home. The Spartans added another in the fifth when Ryan Wilkins scored on a Branden Millhouse groundout to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead.

The Aggies finally broke through against USC Upstate starter Austin Moyer in the seventh. Beatty led off the seventh with a double down the right field line. Beatty moved to third on a passed ball, which set up Nick Rogers’ sacrifice fly to right field. The Spartans added another run in the eighth to take a two-run lead going into the ninth.

Beatty opened the ninth by singling off of reliever Phillip Myers. But Rogers into a double play to eliminate the threat as Myers got Chris Mullins to ground out to end the game. The Aggies will return to action 1 p.m., Saturday at War Memorial Stadium as the Aggies will host a doubleheader against Savannah State.