GREENWOOD, S.C. | Lander University rallied from a six-run defecit to defeat Georgia College & State University 7-6 Friday (May 1) afternoon in the first round of the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament being played at Dolny Stadium.
The No. 2-seeded Bearcats improved to 32-18 and they will face No. 6 Columbus State University in the second round at 1 p.m. Saturday (May 2). The Bobcats, who are seeded seventh, will now face No. 3 seed University of South Carolina, which was upset by Columbus State 12-7, in a 4:30 p.m. elimination game Saturday (May 2).
The Bobcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the third pitch of the game when
Evan Cowan connected on his second home run - a solo shot to right-center. GCSU doubled its lead on a
Trevor Allan RBI single in the second.
GCSU scored four times in the third to open up a 6-0 lead.
Blake Bellflower and
Cole Huddleston had back-to-back RBI singles before
Rand Bestermann had a sacrifice fly to left field.
Zach Cowart, who drove in three runs, tied the game at 6 for Lander on his RBI single to right field in the seventh. The Bearcats won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning on a base-loaded walk to Mason Salisbury.
Reliever
Owen Thomas (1-3) took the loss for GCSU.
Cowan,
Carson Vick and
Tanner Patterson each had two hits apiece for the Bobcats.
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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