LEXINGTON, S.C. | Carson Phillip's three-run homer to left field on the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the ninth rallied Georgia College & State University past the University of Mount Olive 13-11 in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday (March 17) afternoon at the Lexington County Baseball Stadium.

The Bobcats improved to 11-15, while the Trojans fell to 11-14. GCSU opens a three-game Peach Belt Conference series against Augusta University Friday (March 20) at 5 p.m. in Augusta, Georgia.

GCSU trailed by three runs 11-8 entering the bottom of the ninth inning. Cole Huddleston started the rally with a single up the middle and Rand Bestermann followed with a single to left. Both came around to score on Blake Bellflower's double to right-center field to pull the Bobcats within a run at 11-10. After Mount Olive got the next two batters out on swinging strikeouts, Carson Vick coaxed a walk on a 3-2 pitch. Phillips ended the game on his first long ball of the season.

GCSU scored at least one run in every inning, but the fifth and eighth innings. The Bobcats clubbed 15 hits, including three each from Phillips, Luke Boone, Bestermann and Bellflower. Boone and Bestermann also each collected a double.

Phillips and Bellflower each drove in three runs, while Boone and Tanner Patterson knock in two runs apiece.Phillips also swiped three bases, while Boone, Huddleston, Bestermann and Bellflower had one each.

Walker Roberts (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief to go along with two strikeouts.

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.

 
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