GREENWOOD, S.C. – The No. 7-seed Georgia College baseball team (30-17) used some timely hitting to get by No. 2-seed Columbus State University (27-21) 8-5 Wednesday, kicking off the 2013 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament at Lander University's Dolny Stadium.

The Bobcats posted two runs each in the seventh and eighth innings and got a complete-game effort from senior starter Matt LaMothe (Troy, Mich.) to pick up the upset win. 

Down 5-4 headed into the seventh inning, the Bobcats sandwiched a pair of walks around a single to load the bases with two out. All-PBC Second Team selection Jake Sandlin (Evans, Ga.) ripped a single up the middle to score two runs and take a 6-5 lead.

In the ninth, the Bobcats added insurance runs, loading the bases again then bringing in a run each from a walk and hit-batsman. 

LaMothe (7-4) went the distance for the first time this season, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and just two walks. He fanned seven Cougar hitters. CSU starter Brodie Leibrandt went 7 1/3 innings in the loss.

Sandlin finished 2-for-5 with the two RBI and third baseman Jeremy Donaldson (Winder, Ga.) provided three runs on a home run to right in the fifth.  All-PBC Second Team first baseman Clay Ardeeser (Loganville, Ga.) went 3-for-3 with two runs, and catcher Steve Hazel (Kentwood, Mich.) added three hits in four trips with two RBI and a run scored. Rounding out the multi-hit performers was designated hitter Cody Maas (Alpharetta, Ga.) with a 2-for-4 game, scoring a run. 

The Bobcats stay in the winner's bracket and are back in action tomorrow, May 9 at 1:30 p.m., taking on the winner of No. 3-seed Armstrong and No. 6-seed Francis Marion University who play later today. Today's win is the first for the Bobcats in the PBC Tournament since 2008.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 11 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.