Friday's highlights, March 31

Game of the day
North Greenville 1, Erskine 0
Tucker Burgess pitched a six-hit complete game and Clark Scolamiero homered for the game's only run as the Crusaders (24-11, 10-6) beat Erskine (24-10, 13-3) in the opener of a Conference Carolinas series in Tigerville.

Burgess walked one and struck nine as he outdueled Fleet pitcher Michael Carpin. Carpin allowed five hits and struck out six.

Scolamiero's homer came with one out in the sixth inning.

Chris Rave's second hit of the game opened the Erskine ninth, but Burgess never let the runner advance past first.

Elsewhere across the state
* Alex Cunningham pitched a five-hit complete game as Coastal Carolina (17-10, 5-2) shut out Georgia State in the opener of a Sun Belt Conference series. It was the second straight complete-game shutout for Cunningham. Jordan Gore singled twice, homered and drove in two runs against the Panthers (11-15, 1-6).

* Logan Davidson and Chris Williams had two-run single in a five-run fourth innings to spark Clemson (23-4, 9-1) to its ninth straight win, an 11-6 win at ACC rival Georgia Tech (14-10, 3-7). Grayson Byrd and Jordan Greene each had three of Clemson's 18 hits.

* Logan McRae homered and drove in five runs for College of Charleston (11-15, 3-1) in an 8-7 win over UNC Wilmington (11-13, 2-2) to open a Colonial Athletic Association series at Patriots Point.  The College led 8-0 after four innings, but UNCW had the potential tying run at second base when Charleston's Carter Love got a strikeout to end the game. Five Cougars had two hits apiece.

* A four-run fifth and a five-run sixth put Charleston Southern (14-10, 3-4) in command en route to a 12-6 win at Campbell (12-14, 2-2) in the opener of a Big South Conference series. Four of Charleston Southern's eight hits were for extra bases.

* South Carolina (18-7, 5-2)  committed three errors, struck out 12 times and fell behind by five runs after three innings in a 5-4 loss art Auburn (22-6, 6-1) to open an SEC series.  The Gamecocks had wo runners thrown out at second base in the late innings and left the potential tying run at third when T.J. Hopkins was thrown out trying to bunt for a hit to end the game.

* Presbyterian (13-15, 2-2) built a four-run lead after three innings and held on for a 4-3 win over Radford (11-13, 2-2) in Big South Conference play. Tyler Weyenberg was three-for-three and Ryan Hedrick got his fourth save with two shutout innings in relief of Brian Kehner.

* Joseph Benitez pitched a six-hit complete game and struck out eight for USC Aiken (23-9, 8-5) pulled within a game of Flagler (21-13, 9-4) in the Peach Belt Conference standings with a 5-0 victory. Daulton Weeks had three hits and drove in two runs and Nile Goings homered for the Pacers.

* A nine-run third obliterated an early three-run deficit as Newberry (22-14, 8-5) rolled to a 10-3 win over Wingate (15-19,  6-7) in a South Atlantic Conference series opener. Robert Kosch, Danton Hyman, Derek Olenchuk and Jeff Sneed each had three of the Wolves' 20 hits.

* Mercer (22-6, 3-1)  hit three home runs in the ninth inning and beat Furman (11-13, 1-3), 5-4, in the opener of a Southern Conference series at Latham Stadium. Paladins starter Will Gaddis was brilliant, striking out 10 and allowing two hits and three walks over eight shutout innings.  Hunter Bening's three-run homer got Mercer on the board, and Ryan Hagen followed with a home run to tie the score. Alex Hansen delivered the go-ahead blast an out later.  Sky Overton had a home run and Carter Grote drove in two runs for Furman.

* Bryson Bowman's ninth-inning fly ball drove in an unearned run and allowed Western Carolina (10-15, 2-2) to escape with a 4-3 win over The Citadel (9-17, 2-2) in the opener of a Southern Conference series in Cullowhee.  The Catamounts touched Bulldogs ace J.P. Sears for three runs in the first, but The Citadel rallied to tie the score in the eighth. A walk and a pair of fielder's choices where the Bulldogs were unable to get an out loaded the bases for Bowman. Sears struck out nine batters in 6 2/3 innings. Catamounts starter Bryan Sammons struck out 13 in 7 2/3 innings.

* USC Upstate (13-16, 0-1) had a forgettable start to Atlantic Sun Conference play, allowing 16 hits, 12 walks and four hit batsmen while committing four errors in a 19-4 loss to Lipscomb (15-10, 1-0). Russel Schertfeger had two hits for the Spartans, who could not hold an early 2-1 lead.

* Winthrop (13-13) scored its only run in the top of the first inning in its 7-1 loss at Creighton in the opener of a non-conference series at TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series in Omaha. Anthony Paulsen had three hits for the Eagles.

* A 12-run third inning in a 13-3 win in Game One allowed USC Beaufort (23-12, 8-6) to split a doubleheader with Ave Maria (17-24, 4-12) as the Gyrenes won the second game, 9-8. Brandon Joyce had four hits in the opener. The Sand Sharks took a 4-1 lead in the nightcap, fell behind 7-4 and then tied the score in the eighth. Ava Maria scored two runs in the ninth and USCB fell a run short in its comeback bid in the bottom of the inning.