GCSU Takes PBC Baseball Title
4.28.07 MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. -- The Georgia College & State University baseball team powered back from a disappointing series opener Friday night to sweep the double-header with Augusta State University Saturday afternoon at John Kurtz Field. GCSU won 16-4 in the game one and 16-2 in game two. The Bobcats (44-12, 23-7 PBC) also enjoyed another victory, as they clinched the title of Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Champions that afternoon thanks to their win in game one of the double-header, and a 1-2 loss from Columbus State to USC Upstate in 11 innings. The regular season title marks the second in a row for the Bobcats. The Jaguars (27-26, 11-16 PBC) also finished their regular season today in Milledgeville.
In game one, the Bobcats would get on the board early as Justin Mills and Brandon Anderson would both score in the bottom of the first thanks to three costly Jaguar errors. Kevin Kelley would get Augusta State back in the game with a RBI single in the top of the fourth inning, plating David Barnes. Not to be outdone, Pete Paris would knock in a pair of runs on a single to right field in the bottom of the fourth, making the score 4-1 GCSU. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Paris belted a homer to center field to bring in Mills and Anderson again, giving the Bobcats a 7-1 lead. After back-to-back bunt singles from Rich Janofsky and Brian Shaughnessy, Tripp Burt would single through the left side to plate Janofsky and make it an 8-1 GCSU ballgame. Augusta State’s Bennett Mayfield would single in the top of the seventh to bring in Robbie Fite and Dustin Taylor would knock in Mayfield on a sacrifice fly to center field to bring the score to 8-3. However, GCSU had other plans as they blow the game wide open with a seven run, three hit response in the bottom of the seventh. GCSU’s Chandler Snell would score Matt Pitts on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the eighth, and the Jaguars could only manage one run in the top of the ninth, making the final score 16-4, GCSU.
Paris led the offense for GCSU, going 4-5 on the day, with a homerun, six RBI, and two runs scored. Nathan Martin went 2-2 with two RBI and a run scored, Chandler Snell went 2-5 with one RBI and two runs scored, and Justin Mills went 2-5 with three runs scored. Mayfield led the way for Augusta State, going 3-5 with one RBI and one run scored, and Barnes added a 2-5 effort and one run scored.
On the hill, Andy Reichard (5-1) picked up the win for the Bobcats, allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out one in 6.2 innings of work. Seah Heimpel picked up the save, allowing one run on two hits in 2.1 innings of relief. For the Jaguars, Tyler Godwin (1-3) took the loss, giving up four runs on six hits in 3.2 innings, while walking three and fanning four.
In game two, it was more of the same as the Bobcats and the Jaguars scored a run a piece in the first two innings. Bennett Mayfield scored on a double from Dustin Taylor in the first inning for Augusta State, but GCSU answered back with an RBI single from Daniel Heflin to plate Brandon Anderson. In second inning, an RBI single from Augusta State’s Robbie Fite and a solo homer from GCSU’s Casey Cullen would keep the score even at 2-2. The Bobcats broke the game wide open in the third inning, scoring seven runs on six hits, including a two-run homer from Pete Paris, a bases-clearing triple from Justin Mills, and a RBI single from Shaughnessy and Anderson, putting GCSU on top 9-2. Paris’s homer marked his second on the day. The Bobcats tacked on five more runs in the fourth, after a RBI double from Rich Janofsky and a grand-slam from Cullen, his second homer of the game, bringing the tally to 14-2, Bobcats. Just to be sure the game was safely in hand, Brian Shaughnessy roped a 2 RBI single in the bottom of the fifth, making the score 16-2, GCSU. That would be all the Bobcats would need, as the two teams finished the seven-inning game two with a final score of 16-2.
Cullen led the Bobcats offensively with a 2-3 effort, five RBI, and three runs scored. Paris kept his hot bat going, finishing 2-4 with one RBI and two runs scored, Heflin was a perfect 3-3 with one RBI and three runs scored, Janofsky was 2-3 with two runs and one RBI, and Shaughnessy was 2-3 with two runs and three RBI. For the Jaguars, Mayfield was 2-4 with a run scored, and Taylor and Fite were 2-3 with one RBI each.
GCSU’s Jayson Bennett (5-3) picked up the win after scattering eight hits and allowing two runs, while fanning four in six complete innings. Michael Newman pitched a one-hit seventh inning in relief. Augusta State’s Trey Williams (4-2) took the loss, giving up nine runs on nine hits in 2.2 innings, while striking out two and walking two.
The Bobcats will take the next week off from play, as it is Finals Week at GCSU, and prepare for the upcoming Peach Belt Conference Championship Tournament May 10-13, hosted by USC Upstate in Spartanburg, SC.