ORANGEBURG, S.C. | Georgia College & State University clinched a spot in next week's Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament with its 15-5 win in seven innings over Claflin University Friday (April 24) evening at Historic Mirmow Field.
The Bobcats improved to 20-25 overall and moved into a tie for seventh-place in the conference at 12-16 with Augusta University, while the Panthers fell to 4-34 and 1-27. The teams wrap up their regular seasons with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday (April 25).
GCSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on
Carson Phillips'Â RBI double to left field and a run-scoring single by
Blake Bellflower. The Bobcats doubled their lead in the second as
Carson Vick had an RBI double followed by a run-scoring single by Phillips.
The Panthers got a run back in the bottom of the second before GCSU extended its lead to 8-1 with four runs in the third.
Tanner Patterson doubled home the first run while
Rand Bestermann added a sacrifice fly to right.
Evan Cowan added a RBI single before GCSU scored its final run on an error.
Claflin cut the lead in half to 8-4 in the bottom of the fourth as Devin Whitehead hit a three-run homer.Â
GCSU broke the game open with a five-run fifth to open up a 13-4 lead. Phillips had a sacrifice fly and
Luke Boone drove in two more on a single. Bellflower closed out the scoring with a two-run homer.
Whitehead added a solo homer run in the sixth for Claflin before Patterson closed out the game early with a two-run single in the seventh.
GCSU starter
Keaton Prior (4-7) struck out six in six innings to earn the win.
Cowan and Phillips each had four hits as the Bobcats collected 14 in the game. Bellflower and Patterson also had multi-hit games as they had two apiece.
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
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 theÂ
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