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Box Score 2 Related: No. 14 Baseball Falls To No. 29 Georgia College In Series Opener
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Georgia College pounded out 12 hits and scored a dozen runs to provide more than enough offense for an effective pitching performance as the 29th-ranked Bobcats completed a series-clinching doubleheader sweep of No. 14 UNC Pembroke with a 12-6 win over the Braves in Saturday's nightcap at John Kurtz Field.
The setback marked just the second time this season that UNCP (11-5, 3-5 PBC) has dropped consecutive games, and marked just the second series loss for the Black & Gold in 2014 as well. The triumph is the fourth-straight win for Georgia College (10-3, 4-1) who has two losses this season to top-ranked Tampa.
Dalton Knight drove in a run and scored once on a 2-for-4 showing to provide the only multi-hit night for the Braves, while Jack "Bull" Slavin turned in his first career hit on a pinch-hit RBI single with the bases loaded in the ninth. Newcomer Chase Mitchell walked and scored for the visitors in the final frame as well.
Four different players recorded multi-hit games for the Bobcats, including Jake Sandlin who tripled and plated four runs on a 3-for-4 outing. Steve Hazel (2-for-4, 5 RBI) also homered twice for the hosts.
Garrett Hickman (3-1) surrendered six earned runs on seven hits and a trio of walks to saddle his first loss of the season for UNCP. Spencer Thomas (1-0) picked up the win for the Bobcats after allowing just three runs (two earned) on five hits and a pair of walks over seven strong innings from the hill. He also struck out five.
The Braves utilized a costly throwing error by Georgia College to plate a pair of runs in the first, but the Bobcats answered with three runs in the second and two more in the third to take the lead for good. Georgia College plated lone runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, and then put the game out of reach with four scores in the eighth.
UNCP will attempt to salvage the series on Sunday when they meet the Bobcats in the series finale at John Kurtz Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
