Marsh, Pfeiffer take USA South Atlantic Conference tournament, honors

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ERIE, Pennsylvania — Pfeiffer University freshman baseball player Bryce Marsh was named the USA South Rookie of the Year, the league has announced.

Marsh, a freshman designated hitter, became the first Falcon in the program’s brief USA South history, to earn USA South Rookie of the Year in baseball.

He currently leads all conference rookies in the categories of batting average (.385), on-base percentage (.500), slugging percentage (.631), home runs (6) and walks (33). Marsh has also scored 35 runs and drove in 38 RBI this spring. Against USA South opposition this season, Marsh was tied for the conference lead with five home runs and currently has 12 doubles.

For his efforts, Marsh collects First Team All-Conference accolades and was named USA South Rookie of the Week once during the regular season.

On Sunday afternoon, Marsh, Robbins native Kirby Lambert, and Siler City native Josh Harris, an assistant coach for the Falcons, helped lead top-seeded Pfeiffer University to a 9-7 triumph over third-seeded Grove City College to capture the 2019 ECAC Division III Baseball Championship on Sunday afternoon. Marsh is the son of Charlie Marsh of Siler City, and Harris is the son of Judi and Mike Harris of Siler City.

The Falcons improved to 30-8 while Grove City dropped to 28-16 to end the season.

In the opening frame, Grove City wasted no time taking an early 5-0 lead. With one down, junior Matt Dayton singled to center, senior Micah Burke was hit by a pitch and senior Travis Auth walked to load the bases. Dayton scored off a walk by senior Bobby Dulay to make it, 1-0. Burke then was able to score off a pass ball, and both Auth and Dulay each moved up 90-feet. Junior Bobby Abbott’s tripled to center cleared the bases to make it, 4-0. He later scored on an infield single to the shortstop by sophomore Jesse Clary.

Pfeiffer climbed back to make it a 5-4 game in the bottom of the second. Freshman Blake Winebarger doubled down the right field line to start while junior Ira Dorin walked to put runners on first and second. Both runners scored off a double to center by sophomore Kyler Fairchild to make it, 5-2. He later took third on a wild pitch. Junior Bryan Kowalski’s infield single to short allowed Fairchild to cross the plate and make it a two run game. Kowalski later stole second with two down and then scored off a double down the right field line by Marsh.

The Falcons took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the third to make it, 6-4. Back-to-back walks by senior Chaston Gordon and Winebarger started the inning. Gordon later moved to third on a fielder’s choice by Dorin, while Winebarger was out on the play. Dorin took advantage of a wild pitch that allowed him to move up 90-feet. On a walk to Fairchild that turned into a passed ball situation allowed Gordon to score to tie the game at five. Dorin moved up to third on the play and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Falcons the lead before the inning ended.

In the bottom of the fifth, Pfeiffer plated three runs on three hits to push the lead to, 9-5. Dorin singled to center and moved to second as Kowalski drew a one-out walk. A fielder’s choice by freshman Zach Ferrell allowed Dorin to take third to put runners on the corners. As Kowalski was out on the play at second. Senior Matt Striplin drove in both Dorin and Ferrell as he doubled to left field to push the lead to, 8-5. Striplin later scored off a double to center by Marsh to make it a four-run lead.

The Wolverines chipped away to make it a 9-7 game in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Bubba Hamilton blasted a solo shot to get everything started as it that forced Pfeiffer to make its second pitching change of the inning. With one down, Auth reached first on a dropped third strike and later stole second. He later came around to score off an error by the second baseman that allowed Dulay to reach first.

Reliever Holden Carter picked up the win on the bump to improve to 7-1 for Pfeiffer. The senior threw five scoreless innings allowing two hits, four walks and striking out four.

The Falcons set a season-high with six doubles breaking the previous record (5) back on April 2 against Oglethorpe University

Marsh finished the day going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. He also picked up his six save of the season for Pfeiffer. Teammates Winebarger and Striplin combined going 4-for-9 with two doubles, two RBIs, two runs scored, a stolen base and a walk. Striplin and Lambert also earned All-Tournament Team honors for their performances throughout the tournament.

Pfeiffer’s Nick Richmond was named the 2019 Most Valuable Player for his performance in the semifinals against Wilson College on Saturday. The junior threw a complete game allowing two hits and two runs while striking out 15 to earn the win to finish 7-0 on the year.

Grove City’s Abbott earned All-Tournament Team honors as he went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a triple and a run scored. He was also joined by Austin Wacker and John Bini on the All-Tournament Team.

Sophomore reliever D.J. Newby suffered the loss on the mound to fall to 1-6 to close out season. He allowed five runs on three hits over three innings of work.