MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University pitchers struck out 17, but the Bobcats had to hold on for an 8-7 Peach Belt Conference baseball victory over Augusta University Saturday (March 1) afternoon at John Kurtz Field.
The Bobcats won their third consecutive game as they improved to 8-10 overall and to 2-0 in the Peach Belt, while the Jaguars fell to 4-15 and 2-3. The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday (March 2).
After Augusta took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Bobcats got a run back in the bottom of the inning on an Augusta throwing error. GCSU added three runs in the second to open up a 4-1 lead.
Keagan Baxter laced his third homer of the season - a 410-foot blast to center field - that drove in two runs, while
Gabe Wuerth added an RBI single up the middle.
The Jaguars got two runs back in the top of the third, but the Bobcats struck for one in the fourth and three more an inning later to open up an 8-4 lead.
Braeden Smith drove in a run in the fourth on a fielder's choice.
Rand Bestermann drove in two in the fifth inning with a double to left-center field before Wuerth tripled down the right field line to plate the other.
Augusta got a run back in the seventh and put together five consecutive hits with two outs in the ninth to pull within a run at 8-7; however, GCSU reliever
Will Sims earned his second save by recording the final out on the 17th strikeout for Bobcat pitchers.
Bradley Wilson (2-1) earned the win with 10 strikeouts in five innings, while
Christian Donaldson had two and Sims finished with five more.
Wuerth had four hits to lead the 14-hit attack for the Bobcats, while Bestermann, who was a home run away from the cycle, had three. Every starter had a least one hit for GCSU.
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five 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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