MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University clubbed a season-high 22 hits and tossed a two-hitter as the Bobcats opened their Peach Belt Conference baseball season against Lander University with a 9-3 victory Friday (April 10) evening at John Kurtz Field.
The Bobcats improved to 16-21 overall and 10-12 in the Peach Belt, while the Bearcats fell to 22-18 and 15-10. The teams play their middle game of their three-game series Saturday (April 11) at 2 p.m.
The Bobcats scored in every inning but the fifth and seventh innings. All nine starters in the GCSU lineup collected at least one hit and eight of them had at least two hits against Lander. The 22 hits were the most surrendered by the Bearcats since February 2018.
While the offensive wore their hitting shoes, the tandem of
Keaton Prior and
Owen Thomas teamed up on a two-hitter. Prior (3-6) had a no-hitter through 5.2 innings until Ryan Hansen hit a two-run homer to left in the sixth inning.
Owen Thomas earned his second save of the year with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Thomas only needed one pitch to get out bases-loaded jam in the eighth and then retired the side in order in the ninth, including two by strikeouts.
Carson Vick led the GCSU attack with four hits, while
Carson Phillips and
Tanner Patterson had three hits each.
Evan Cowan,
Luke Boone,
Cole Huddleston,
Rand Bestermann and
Trevor Allan collected two hits apiece. Phillips, Huddleston, Patterson and Allan each tallied a double in the win. Boone, Huddleston and Patterson each drove in two runs, while Cowan, Vick and Bestermann had one apiece.
About GCSU Athletics
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six 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
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