Colonnade

Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Corey Dickstein Sophomore lefty Alex Burkhard stares down a Columbus State batter as he winds up on Wednesday. The Bobcats' pitching staff held the Cougars to a single run en route to a 2-1 victory.

Media Credit: Corey Dickstein Senior second baseman Brooks Robinson fires a strike to first for the out.

The GCSU baseball team continued their winning ways this week, sweeping one opponent and splitting their two single-game sets.

The Bobcats faced the University of Montevallo in a three-game series on Friday and Saturday and swept the Falcons with strong offensive performances.

The first game of the series jumped into action quickly when the Bobcats took a huge lead in the first inning by scoring six runs, including a three-run homer by junior first baseman Matt Pitts.

The Falcons were able to score one run in the third but would manage no more. Neither team scored again until in the eighth inning, when the Bobcats tacked on seven more runs, including two RBIs each by Pitts and senior outfielder Danny McCorkell. The game ended with the Bobcats in control 15-1.

When the second game of the series against Montevallo began, neither team was able to score a run until the third inning, when a single by senior catcher Pete Paris scored two Bobcats.

In the fourth inning, Pitts hit another homerun to left field, his second of the series. Then in the fifth inning, a single by senior Brooks Robinson scored Paris, making the score 4-0 in favor of GCSU.

In the sixth inning, Montevallo scored twice, but the Bobcats put the game out of reach by batting around for 12 runs, including a two RBIs by Paris and sophomore catcher Richard Pirkle, making the score 16-2.

In the seventh inning, GCSU played home run derby, as freshman utility player Ryan Holland, McCorkell, and junior outfielder Andrew Evans all homered to give the Bobcats another four runs. The second game ended with the Bobcats victorious over the Falcons 20-2.

Both teams started off playing aggressively in the final game of the series against when Montevallo and GCSU each scored four runs in the first inning.

The Bobcats again jumped ahead on a two-run homer by Paris in the second inning that made the score 6-4 in favor of the Bobcats.

In the third inning, Robinson hit a solo homer over left field, tacking another run on the scoreboard for the Bobcats.

The Falcons managed to score a single run in the fourth inning, but the Bobcats had another 12 run outburst, including a grand slam from Pitts and a three-run homer byParis. The final game of the series ended with the Bobcats earning a 19-5 victory over the Falcons.

"We've got great chemistry," Paris said. "We've been great as a team for the whole season and we are getting even better now."

On Tuesday, the Bobcats faced Valdosta State University and found their only defeat of the week, with the Blazers coming out on top 15-5.

VSU started hot with a five-run first. The Bobcats managed to score a single run in the second inning, and one in the third. However, the Blazers continued their lead over the Bobcats by scoring three runs in the fourth inning and one run in the seventh, making the score 9-2.

In the seventh inning the Bobcats scored three runs, including two RBI's by senior outfielder Derek Johns but would get no closer. VSU was also able to score three runs in the seventh inning, as well as three in the ninth. The Bobcats lost to Valdosta State University 15-5.

On Wednesday, the Bobcats did not let their loss to Valdosta State affect their play as they faced Columbus State University and defeated the Cougars in a 2-1 pitchers' duel.

In the third inning, the Cougars scored one run, and the Bobcats tied it on yet another solo homer by Pitts. In the fourth inning, a homerun by junior designated hitter Buddy Elmore gave the Bobcats a 2-1 lead over the Cougars which would stick. Junior closer Martin Dewald pitched the last two innings of the game and earned his fourteenth save of the season.

"I enjoyed it," Dewald said. "Of couse I'm going to take as many as I can get, but I also don't mind if we beat them real good so I don't have any work."

Pitts, who hit homers in all four Bobcats wins, likes the way the team is playing.

"It was definitely a good game," said Pitts. "It was well-pitched, and we had good defense. It's good to be playing like this going against Augusta (State) this weekend."

This weekend, the Bobcats face Augusta State University in a three-game series starting on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. If the Bobcats are able to sweep the Jaguars, they will be tied for first place in the Peach Belt Conference with the University of South Carolina at Aiken.

"We're going to continue doing what we do," said head coach Tom Carty. "We will try to get better before our big weekend with Augusta."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools