JOHNSON CITY, TENN. -- East Tennessee scored seven runs in the third inning and rode a potent 18-hit attack to beat Furman, 13-9, in Southern Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Thomas Stadium.

The win earned the series victory for ETSU (14-13, 3-3 SoCon) while the loss dropped Furman (11-16, 3-3 SoCon) to .500 in league play.

The Paladins led 3-1 after the top half of the third inning, but the Bucs turned the game around with seven hits on the way to scoring seven runs in their third trip to the plate.  Trey York's leadoff home run got the big frame started, and Blake Rowlett's two-run single and Jeremy Taylor's bases clearing triple provided the bulk of the damage to help chase Furman starting pitcher Jake Crawford (0-3).

Furman tried to battle back, scoring single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to cut ETSU's lead to 8-5, but the Bucs took total control of the contest with a five-run seventh, highlighted by a York two-run single, to extend their advantage to 12-5.

The Paladins tallied two runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.

York (3-for-4), Taylor (2-for-3), and Rowlett (1-for-4) each drove in three runs to lead ETSU, and Hagen Owenby  topped the ETSU offensive parade with four hits.  Robby McCabe also had three hits for the Bucs.

Furman finished with 15 hits, led by Carter Grote's 4-for-4 performance that featured two singles, a triple, and his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot in the sixth inning.  Grote also drew a first inning walk on the way to reaching base five times.

Sims Griffith went 3-for-4, homered, drove in three runs, and scored twice, and Brandon Elmy also registered three hits for Furman.

Crawford (0-3) took the loss, battered for eight runs on 10 hits in just 2 1/3 innings of work.

Harry Norman relieved Crawford in the third and pitched effectively until running into trouble in the seventh.  He aided his own cause with three pickoffs.

ETSU starting pitcher Victor Gonzalez (2-0) was the beneficiary of his teammates' offensive support, which helped him overcome a shaky start on the way to notching the victory.  He allowed two runs in the first inning before getting a double play to escape further trouble.  In the third he hit the first two batters he faced and allowed a run on wild pitch but wiggled out of a bases loaded, no-out situation by getting a strikeout, comebacker, and groundout to keep Furman's lead at 3-1.

Furman plays host to Gardner-Webb on Wednesday.

Hunter Reid, Furman Sports Information