MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Newly minted Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week Braeden Smith continues to swing a hot bat, homering once more, helping Georgia College & State University record an 8-7 non-conference baseball victory over Erskine College Tuesday (April 8) evening at John Kurtz Field.
The Bobcats' winning streak reached eight, improving to 25-15, while the Flying Fleet fell to 16-23. GCSU turns to Greenwood, South Carolina, for a PBC series against Lander University, with the opener of the three-game series Friday (April 8) night at 6 p.m. at Stephen B. Dolny Stadium.
Erskine stuck for a pair of runs in the top of the fourth, as both starters shut down their opposing offenses for the first third of the contest. Jorge Pascual led off the fourth inning with a homer to right field and added an unearned run to take a 2-0 lead.
However, the Bobcats stormed back for a five-spot in the bottom of the inning after stranding a bases-loaded situation in the previous inning. A two-run single from Carson Phillips got it started, followed by an RBI single from Ben Hamacher, and capped off by a two-run homer to right-center field from, who other than, Braeden Smith – his 11th of the year and third in his last five games.
Josean Sánchez drove in two for the Flying Fleet to make things 5-4 in the sixth, and Jude Littrell tied the game at 5 on an RBI ground out to Sánchez. GCSU answered back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs as Matthew Mebane singled to drive in Hamacher, and Caleb Miele added some insurance with a bases-loaded RBI walk.
Erskine's Dylan Wanat hit a home run to right center in the eighth inning to pull within a run at 7-6, but Lex Kenny earned his first save of 2025. Tyler Smith (1-1) collected the win on two innings of shutout relief, giving up only one hit and one walk, striking out four.
GCSU spread out its hits well, as Hamacher, Braeden Smith, Miele, Phillips, Mebane, and Evan Cowan all reached on a hit at least once. Braeden Smith and Phillips each finished with two hits and two RBI
About GCSU Athletics
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 the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.
