ORANGEBURG, S.C. | Georgia College & State University easily defeated Claflin University 17-3 and 19-0 - both in seven innings - as the Bobcats swept the Panthers in a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday (April 25) afternoon at Historic Mirmow Field.

The Bobcats extended their win streak to four games as they improved to 22-25 overall and to 14-16 in the Peach Belt and locked up the No. 7 seed in next's weekend Peach Belt Tournament. Pairings and more information about the tournament will be released Monday (April 27). The Panthers ended their season at 4-36 and 1-29.

GCSU scored in every inning but the second and fifth as the Bobcats had 18 hits - eight going for extra base hits in the opener.

Carson Phillips drove in four runs on a two-run double and added a two-run single, while Rand Bestermann contributed a three-run homer in the seventh inning. Carson Vick and Cole Huddleston each collected three hits. Vick tallied two doubles, while Huddleston had one. Evan Cowan, Phillips and Blake Bellflower each registered two hits. Cowan had a triple in the win.

Hogan Mayhew (3-0) earned the win, allowing three runs in 5.1 innings.

It was more of the same in game two as GCSU scored in every inning, but the fourth. The Bobcats broke the game open with an eight-run second inning as GCSU had three homers in the frame. Tanner Patterson had a leadoff homer, while Luke Boone added a three-run shot and Huddleston added a two-run inside-the-park homer.

The Bobcats had 15 hits, including nine that went for extra bases. Bestermann led the attack with four hits, including a pair of doubles and two RBI. Huddleston had three hits, while Cowan and Boone, who drove in five runs, had two each. 

Gavyn Seitz (2-2) struck out eight in five innings to earn the win for the Bobcats.

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 GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.







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