MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Mike Valdez's grand slam to left field highlighted a five-run fourth inning for No. 1-ranked University of Tampa as the Spartans claimed a 9-5 non-conference baseball victory over Georgia College & State University Friday (Feb. 16) evening at John Kurtz Field.
Tampa improved to 7-0, while the Bobcats fell to 5-4. The middle game of the three-game series will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 17).
Georgia College opened up a 1-0 lead in the second.
Braeden Smith led off by being hit by a pitch and
Hank Noonan followed with a single to center. A Gabe Wuerth sacrifice bunt moved the runners up 90 feet,
Mitch Cowan drove in Smith on a fielder's choice.
After Tampa used a five spot in the top of the fourth, GCSU used three runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull within one at 5-4. Wuerth,
Mitch Cowan and
Evan Cowan each had RBI singles in the frame.
The Spartans got two more runs in the fifth before the Bobcats got their final run of the game in their half of the inning on a Smith single to right.
Starter
Bradley Wilson (0-2) took the loss, while Tampa reliever Eli Thurmond (1-0), who allowed just three hits and a run, struck out six in five innings.
Tampa and GCSU each collected 10 hits with
Matthew Mebane and Noonan each having two for the Bobcats. Mebane had the lone extra-base hit for GCSU with a double to left-center field to lead off the fifth inning.Â
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for three consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won four consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of 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 postseason 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 or subscribe to theÂ
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