By: Michael Hokanson, Sports Information Assistant
 

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Georgia College Baseball (0-2) started its season after a one-day delay, taking on the No. 1 University of Tampa Spartans (5-0). Though the Bobcats kept the scores close in both games, the Spartans lived up to their namesake, and Georgia College suffered losses of 4-3 and 6-4.

Game one of the series featured an early Bobcat lead of 2-1 thanks to a home run in the third inning by centerfielder Logan Mattix (Loganville). Georgia College held the lead until the top of the fifth saw two Spartans on. A single to center field by Casey Scoggins sent both Spartans home and put Tampa on top. After a Spartan homerun in the top of the sixth, Georgia College responded with a run of their own. However, the Bobcats could not break the Spartans' lead, and would finish the first game with a loss, 4-3.

Shortstop Brandon Benson (Loganville), third baseman Garrett Green (Bogart), and Mattix each earned RBIs in the contest with Benson and Mattix being the only Bobcats with doubles. Leftfielder Matthew Miller (Escondido, California) recorded a stolen base and second base Dylan Cook (Portola Valley, California) recorded two of his own.

Pitcher Charlie Hecht (Johns Creek) threw two scoreless innings, but ended up being tagged with the loss (0-1) after allowing two runs in the fifth. Reliever Bryce Bush (Phoenix, Arizona) threw a scoreless seventh inning before being switched out for Cameron Busby (Grovetown), who kept the final two innings scoreless.

In game two, the Bobcats gave a strong performance at bat during the first inning with a 3-1 lead after a single from Miller let Mattix cross home plate and single form Brandon Purcell (Glennville) earned two RBIs. The Spartans tied the game up in the following inning after a home run and a sacrifice fly added two runs. Georgia College regained the lead when Cook cracked a home run out to left center. The Bobcats held the lead until the Spartans scored in the seventh. Tampa broke the tie in the ninth, scoring two runs which secured a 6-4 victory for the Spartans.

The Bobcats racked up four stolen bases during the second game. Cook and Miller each added one to their totals and Mattix earned two.

Pitchers Trevor Guthrie (Cumming) and Grant Khan (Richmond, Texas) each threw two scoreless innings. While Busby had his own scoreless inning in the eighth, a walked batter while the bases were loaded in the seventh had him tagged with the loss (0-1).

The Bobcats look to end the Spartans' streak with the final game of the series beginning tomorrow, Feb. 7 at 1 p.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 @GCBobcats on all social media formats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit GCBobcats.PhotoReflect.com to purchase photo prints from home athletic contests.