by Tyler Peck, sports information graduate assistant
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College & State University baseball team (11-8, 4-2 PBC) fell 6-5 to Lenoir-Rhyne University (12-11, 6-3 SAC) Tuesday night at John Kurtz Field.
The Bobcats managed to only get seven hits as outfielder Sean
Harrell (Martinez, Ga.) led the squad with three
(3-for-4). He finished the game with two RBI, ripping a solo blast
in the fourth. The reigning Georgia College and Peach Belt
Conference (PBC) Athlete of the Week, Harrell has three home runs
on the season and extended his hit streak to six games.
Second baseman Jason
Veyna (Lamar, Colo.) hit a two-run single in the
fourth to get Georgia College within two runs of Lenior-Rhyne, with
the score 5-3.
At the top of the seventh, the Bears scored one run as Alex Cooks
hit a home run to right field.
The Bobcats struck back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the
inning. First baseman and Brunswick, Ga. native Matt
Pitts hit a double to right center to bring Kyle
Allen (Conyers, Ga.) and Brett
George (Dacula, Ga.) across the plate as Georgia
College got within one, 6-5.
Georgia College had opportunities to take the lead as they left 11
runners on base, but were unable to get the big hit when
needed.
Redshirt-junior Jason
Nicholas (Wright City, Mo.) got the start for the
‘Cats going three innings allowing five runs off five hits.
The lefty (0-1) managed seven strikeouts as he faced 17 batters.
Ryan Haynie (Fayetteville, Ga.) and Ryan
Tabor (Lawrenceville, Ga.) shared reliving duties and
both men tallied five strikeouts each.
Lenior-Rhyne was led by Cooks’ three hits (3-for-5), three
RBI and two runs scored. Tony Garcia (1-0) got the win in 1 2/3
innings of scoreless work, and Chris Henderson picked up the save
by throwing the ninth.
GCSU finishes the two-game set Wednesday, March 17 against
Lenoir-Rhyne with a 2 p.m. start.
The GCSU Department of Athletics, winners of the 2008-09 PBC
Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the
NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides
itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by
the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as
well as documented academic success and community-service
involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for
up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate
your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics
Hall of Fame.