by Brian DeCandia, sports information graduate assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College Bobcats (8-6, 1-1 PBC) split with the No. 29 USC Aiken Pacers (8-3, 3-2 PBC) Saturday afternoon, winning the first 7-2 and dropping the second, 5-1.

Trailing 3-1 early in Game One, the Bobcats would explode for five runs in the top of the fifth and never look back.

The rally started with a Tanner Funk (Kearney, Mo.) single to right field followed by a Pacer error. Travis Echols (Suwanee, Ga.) would then drive Funk in with an RBI single to left field.

Cody Maas (Alpharetta, Ga.) and Josh Young (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) would continue the single party, before Karsten Strieby (Brier, Wash.) blasted an RBI double to right center. A fielder's choice would plate Young giving the Bobcats a 6-1 advantage heading into the last four frames.

Derek McGowan (Raytown, Mo.) gave GC another solid effort on the mound going eight innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits to pick up the victory.

Matt LaMothe (Troy, Mich.) would pick up the save working the final 2/3 innings, striking out one.

Maas and Echols added three hits, two runs and one RBI apiece.

The second tilt would remain tied until the top of the sixth inning when a Bryce Williams (Manhattan, Kan.) single plated Strieby for the Bobcats only run of the game.

Quick to respond, the Pacers added three in the bottom half to take the lead. GC wouldn't be able to muster enough offense to win this one, falling 5-1.

Mike Guinane (Glenview, Ill.) pitched another good game for the 'Cats throwing six innings, allowing no earned runs, while sitting down five.

GC finishes the three-game set against USC Aiken tomorrow at 1 p.m. before traveling to Newberry College for a single game Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.

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