ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Georgia College & State University Baseball (17-20, 14-9 PBC) took a pair of vastly different games in a doubleheader sweep at Claflin University (1-33, 0-22 PBC) Saturday, winning 13-3 in eight innings and taking the nightcap as well 7-5.

In the opener, the Bobcats pounded out 16 hits for the 13 runs, swatting four home runs along the way.

Second baseman Palmer Sapp (Dawsonville, Georgia) got the scoring started in the second with a two-run shot. Rightfielder Brandon Bellflower (Milledgeville, Georgia) added a three-run shot in the fourth, third baseman Ben Tuten (Bristol, Georgia) posted a two-run blast in the seventh, and first baseman Jaxon Weatherford (Charleston) capped the scoring with a solo home run in the eighth.

Senior lefty Luc Scudellari (Roswell, Georgia) went six innings for the win, improving to 6-2. He scattered four hits and four walks for just a single earned run, and fanned seven.

Tuten finished 4-for-5 with four runs and two RBIs. The home run was his fourth this season and sixth in his career. Bellflower, Sapp and leftfielder Matthew Cassandra (Cumming, Georgia) each had three hits, Bellflower driving in three, while the other two plated a pair apiece. Bellflower's home run was his sixth this year and 18^th in his career. Sapp has two home runs this season and seven overall as a Bobcat. Weatherford finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.

Game two was a tight one, all knotted up at 4-4 after seven. Claflin took a 5-4 lead in the eighth on a run-scoring double play grounder, putting the Bobcats' backs against the wall.

Shortstop Dominic Arienzo (Madison, Georgia) led off with a single, and after an out and a walk, Weatherford tagged his second home run of the day, giving the Bobcats a 7-5 lead.

Things got interesting for the Panthers in the bottom half, as the first two batters walked. But a double play and a fly out finished the game, preserving the Bobcat win.

Sophomore righty Hunter Goodwin (Sylvester, Georgia) went 2 2/3 innings to get the victory, moving to 2-2 on the season. He allowed a single run on a pair of hits.

Weatherford finished this game 3-for-5, making the junior first baseman 5-for-9 with three runs and six RBIs for the doubleheader. Catcher Trevor Knowles (Folkston) was 2-for-4 with a couple of runs scored, while Arienzo had three hits in four trips, also scoring twice.

The win puts the Bobcats at 14-9 in PBC play this season, tied for fourth in the league standings.

The Bobcats and Panthers close out the three-game series tomorrow, April 16 at 1 p.m.

Owning the top Academic Success Rate among public schools in Division II, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won three-straight Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of both the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in post-season competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.