Aaron Bray scored the go-ahead run in the sixth inning in Charlotte series-sweeping win, 10-4 over Richmond

May 10, 2008

Charlotte, N.C. - Charlotte third baseman Aaron Bray stole home to break open a four-all tie in the sixth inning and the 49ers added five more unanswered runs in a 10-4 Atlantic 10 Conference baseball victory Saturday afternoon to complete the weekend sweep at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium. Charlotte clinched a spot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament and remains in first place in the league at 17-7, with 37 overall wins in 50 games this year (37-13). The Spiders return home with a 19-28-2 record and 9-14-1 conference ledger.

Charlotte has won five straight games and has a 23-6 home record this season. The Niners have won the last six contests versus Richmond, all Atlantic 10 victories.

Chris Taylor scored the first run of the game with a solo homer to left center, his team and conference-leading 17th blast of the season. He has a team and league-best 64 RBI in 2008.

All nine 49ers in the lineup collected at least one hit on the day, with Bray, O'Brien Taylor and Cory Tilton recording two hits each. Senior first baseman Alex Burt had the game-high of three RBI for Charlotte, including a two-RBI single in the seventh.

Burt, O'Brien Taylor and shortstop Shayne Moody all participated in Commencement ceremonies that morning, after completing their degree requirements this semester.

Reliever Kelly McLain improved to 6-0 overall, with all six wins coming in conference relief appearances. He allowed three hits in four scoreless innings pitched. He struck out five hitters to push his season total to 43 in as many innings pitched. McLain's ERA fell to 1.66, the lowest on the team of anyone with more than two appearances.

Richmond starter Jared Bard was touched up for five runs in five innings to take the loss. He falls to 2-6 on the year. He allowed seven hits and four walks, striking out one.

Spiders Hank Coogan and Even Stehle recorded three hits each, but only three other Spiders could get a hit versus Charlotte pitching.

The Niners play their last four games at home this week, starting with a Monday night contest against Presbyterian. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

NOTES: The 17 home runs land Taylor fourth on the single-season all-time list at Charlotte. No Niner has hit more homers since the record-setting season of 1998, when James Matan set the school mark with 27 and teammate Bo Robinson blasted 19 that season. Taylor had 16 career round-trippers entering this season, with 33 career bombs the fifth-most in team history. His 202 career RBI are third-most for a career in team history, 14 behind Matan and 28 back of Robinson at the top of the list. The Niners are 36-9 since the stadium opened March 30, 2007. Designated hitter Rob Lyerly hit his team-leading 21st double in the third inning. He is two behind Jason Hill (1998) for fifth place on the Charlotte single-season list. McLain's six wins off the bench match Bryan Hamilton's six relief wins last year, tops on the team.