GREENWOOD, S.C. – Righty starter Justin Blue (Mulberry, Fla.) mowed through nine innings, posting the first shutout of the 2013 Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Tournament as No. 7-seed Georgia College (31-17) beat No. 6-seed Francis Marion University (28-19) 5-0 to keep the Bobcats alive in the winners bracket.

Blue (8-3) posted his fourth complete game of the 2013 season and second shutout, scattering six hits and a walk over nine frames. He tallied four strikeouts, at one point setting down 13 Patriot hitters in a row. 

"My command was there today and I my slider really helped out a lot," said Blue. "My slider has been a good pitch for strikes, but it really worked well today."

Georgia College struck first in the first, when Daniel Bick (Alpharetta, Ga.) walked, stole second and came in to score on a single by Clay Ardeeser (Loganville, Ga.).  

The Bobcats added two in the fifth, as Ikaika Anderson (Austell, Ga.) singled in Mikee Moore (Dunwoody, Ga.) who led off on a walk. All-PBC Second Teamer Jake Sandlin (Evans, Ga.) added another run later in the frame on a solo home run, Sandlin's eighth this season.

In the eighth, Georgia College got more insurance with a laser beam home run from Ardeeser, caroming off the scoreboard in right for two more runs. 

FMU's Gary Ashcraft (6-5) took the loss, going seven innings. Third baseman Stephen Tarkenton was the lonely multi-hit performer for FMU, going 2-for-4, as Blue did not allow a single extra-base hit, FMU getting shut out for the first time this season.

Ardeeser finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run, while catcher Steve Hazel (Kentwood, Mich.) also had a pair of singles in four trips. 

The Bobcats advance to play tomorrow, May 10 at 8:30 p.m. against an opponent determined by tonight and tomorrow's action. The Patriots fall to the loser's bracket, facing No. 2-seed Columbus State University May 10 at 10 a.m.

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.