by Matt Dalby, sports information graduate assistant

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Senior Tanner Funk (Kearney, Mo.) went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI as the No. 23 Georgia College baseball team (2-1) took the rubber match against King College (1-2) 9-3 Saturday afternoon at John Kurtz Field.

The Bobcats offense was clicking throughout the game, scoring in six of eight innings at the plate. Third baseman Travis Echols (Suwanee, Ga.) added a pair of hits, going 2-of-3 with a run and RBI. 

Josh Young (Lake Havasu City, Ariz.) and Daniel Bick (Alpharetta, Ga.) added two hits apiece as the top of the Bobcat lineup accounted for eight of their 13 hits.

Getting the start on the mound for GC was Taylor Hart (Colbert, Ga.) who went four innings allowing just one earned run on six hits. 

Picking up the win in relief was sophomore Hayden Martin (Valdosta, Ga.) (1-0), going 1 2/3 shutout innings allowing just one hit with a pair of punch outs.

The Bobcat offense steadily put the pressure on the Tornado defense, scoring in each of the first three innings before a three-run bottom of the sixth put the game out of reach. 

Newcomer Karsten Strieby (Brier, Wash.) blasted a double to score Funk who doubled two batters before, extending the GC lead to 7-2.

Matthew Robinson (Hull, Ga.) and Zack Hula (Kennesaw, Ga.) closed out the game on the hill, giving up just a run in the final 3 1/3 innings. 

Reiss Stanley (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the Tornado, giving up four runs in 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out four and walking three.

King poked 10 hits, but were unable to muster much on the scoreboard with GC's defense turning a trio of double-plays to end potential rallies. 

Georgia College has a week to prepare for No. 6 University of Tampa, hosting a three-game set against the Spartans starting with a doubleheader Friday, Feb. 10 at 2 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.