#15 Saints Sweep Away Hurricanes in Double Dip
DAHLONEGA, GA
– The 15th-ranked North Georgia baseball team completed a
doubleheader sweep of Georgia Southwestern on Saturday evening with
a 9-6 nightcap victory over the Hurricanes at Bob Stein Stadium in
Peach Belt Conference action.
North Georgia improves 15-6 overall on the season and 6-2 in the
Peach Belt Conference’s west division, while the Hurricanes
fall to 9-6 overall, having won five straight games entering the
series, while moving to 3-2 in the conference.
The Hurricanes started the scoring in the first inning as Bud Long
led off the game with a double and came around to scored on a
sacrifice fly to center, and Byron Haynes brought home another run
with a two-out single through the left side, plating Trent Dooley
to give GSW a 2-0 first-inning lead.
North Georgia would cut the Hurricane lead in half in the last of
the first inning, Using a groundout from Sage to bring Craig
Brisson home who led off the inning with a single up the middle,
making it a 2-1 game.
The Saints took their first lead of the game in the third inning as
Brisson walked to lead off the inning and Jordan Erisman was hit by
a pitch to set up a three-run blast to right center off the bat of
Andre Airich, putting the Saints on top 4-2. After a double from
Chad Sage and single by Troy Snitker, Lance Pope plated the fourth
run of the frame with a fielder’s choice, bringing Sage home
to give North Georgia a three-run lead.
After both teams traded runs in the fourth inning, Georgia
Southwestern tacked on a two spot in the fifth thanks to an RBI
single to center field by Paschel Poston to plate Haynes, before a
fielder’s choice brought another run home to cut the North
Georgia lead to just a run at 6-5.
Airich coaxed a bases loaded two-out walk in the sixth to drive in
his fourth run of the day, before some more two-out magic in the
seventh sent two runs home to give the Saints a 9-5 lead. The
Hurricanes added a run in the eighth on a bases loaded walk, but
North Georgia held on for the 9-6 victory and doubleheader
sweep.
Michael Patton (2-1) picked up the victory in relief, going 2.2
innings and allowing a pair of hits and one run, while Jacob
Rickett came on in the ninth to slam the door, striking out the
final three Hurricane batters for his fifth save of the season.
Georgia Southwestern’s Jody Sellers (4-1) suffered his first
loss of the year, allowing seven runs, all earned, on eight hits
while walking four and striking out just one. Entering the game,
Sellers was undefeated without giving up an earned run in 28.0
innings of work with two complete games.
The Saints and hurricanes will play the third and final games of
the weekend Peach Belt Conference series on Sunday afternoon with
first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium.
Game Notes:
- The Saints have won seven of their last eight games, and sweep their first doubleheader of the season.
- North Georgia picked up victories in the first two games of a series for the second straight weekend after taking the first two games of a three-game set at GCSU.
- The Saints are tied with UNC Pembroke for the most conference wins in the league, currently sitting at 6-2 on the season.
