GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Ryan Simpler pitched seven solid innings and East Tennessee State grabbed an early lead en route to a 7-3 victory over Furman in Sunday's Southern Conference baseball series finale at Latham Stadium.

The win helped the Buccaneers (18-29, 6-12 SoCon) avoid the series sweep and halted a modest three-game winning streak by the Paladins (22-25, 9-9 SoCon), who won their third straight league series.

Simpler shut out Furman over the first six innings, limiting the Paladins to five hits, before yielding solo home runs to Ryan Morse and Jordan Simpson in the seventh that cut the lead to 4-2.  He gave way to Josh Jacques, who worked a scoreless eighth and got the Paladins out in the ninth to secure the win for the Buccaneers and his first save of the season.

The Buccaneers spotted Simpler a 3-0 lead in the first inning, plating runs on a Trey York single, an error, and a two-out RBI single by Christian Bailey off Paladin starting pitcher Will Gaddis.

Simpler defused a threat in the bottom of the first by inducing an inning ending double play off the bat of Chris Ohmstede, worked around two hits in the second, and then settled down to retire the next 12 Paladins he faced until Morse led off the seventh with a long home run to right center field, his fifth of the season.  Simpson followed with a solo shot to left field, his first two of two long balls in the contest, to cut ETSU's lead to 4-2.

The Bucs took control in the top of the ninth, combining three hits with a Paladin error to make it 7-2, Kevin Phillips' two-run single to left field highlighting the frame.

Simpson accounted for the game's final run, cranking his second home of the day and team leading 13th long ball of the season with one out in the ninth.

Simpler (2-4) earned the victory, surrendering two runs on seven hits in his seven innings of work.  He struck out four and did not issue a walk.

Gaddis (3-5), who was charged with the loss, overcame a shaky first inning to pitch effectively, working eight innings, allowing 11 hits, four runs, three of which were earned.  He walked one and struck out four.

ETSU out-hit Furman 15-10, getting a 3-for-5 performance from York.  Jordan Sanford led a parade of five Bucs who collected two hits, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.  Phillips also drove in pair of runs, and Jeremy Taylor scored twice.

Morse and Cameron Whitehead joined Furman in posting two hits for the Paladins, who banged out seven home runs in the series to up their season tally to 55, the second highest season tally in program history.

Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it entertains Charleston Southern in a 6:00 p.m. game at Latham Stadium.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information