Bobcats win fifth straight, nine of last eleven
The GCSU baseball team extended its winning streak to five games this past Wednesday when it swept Benedict in a doubleheader, beating the Tigers 19-2 in the first game and 6-3 in the second game.
“It’s what we expect to do in the middle of the week, we’re starting to play pretty good baseball,” head coach Tom Carty said. “We were a little bit sloppy in game two but we’re pleased with the two wins today and a win yesterday, you’ve got to be happy about it.”
- Junior outfielder Shawn Ward rounds second on a fourth-inning double by redshirt senior infielder Brett George against Clark Atlanta this past Tuesday. The Bobcats put up four runs in the inning to blow the game open and held on to win 14-0.
The Bobcats were quick to pull ahead when they scored three runs in the first inning, including a two-run homerun from senior first baseman Matt Pitts, making the score 3-0. In the fourth inning, GCSU continued to spread the score margin when senior leftfielder Kyle Allen hit a two-run homer and senior centerfielder Sean Harrell hit a solo homer to make the score 7-1 in favor of the Bobcats. GCSU continued to pull ahead when in the fifth inning it was able to score six runs. The Bobcats added six more runs to the scoreboard in the sixth inning including two RBI from freshman catcher Cody Maas, earning GCSU a 19-2 victory in the first game.
When the Bobcats and the Tigers stepped on the field to finish the doubleheader, the second game went scoreless for the first four innings. Even though Benedict scored one run in the fifth, GCSU pulled ahead when Pitts hit a grand slam to set the score at 4-1. Then, an RBI by senior designated hitter Steve Muoio and a run by Allen on a Tigers’ error gave the Bobcats a 6-1 lead. Even though Benedict managed to score two runs in the seventh inning, they were unable to take the lead and the Bobcats won the second game 6-3.
“I think we pitched very well and played pretty good defense and our bats came alive towards the end of the game,” Pitts said. “We all swung the bat well, everybody played, everybody did their job so it was a good program victory.”
On the mound, junior pitcher Eric Pettepher had four strikeouts and gave up only one run.
This past Tuesday, GCSU earned its third shutout victory of the season against Clark Atlanta, a 14-0 triumph.
The game against the Black Panthers went scoreless for the first two innings. The Bobcats scored for the first time the third inning when an RBI from Harrell set the score at 1-0. In the fourth inning, the Bobcats continued to pull ahead when junior outfielder Shawn Ward scored on a Clark Atlanta error, and RBI by Mass, Allen and junior infielder Jason Venya made the score 5-0. Six more runs by GCSU in the fifth inning made the score 11-0. A triple from Harrell in the sixth scored two, and a run on a Black Panthers’ error gave the Bobcats a 14-0 lead. Neither team scored in the final three innings and the Bobcats took the 14-0 win.
“It was a good victory and another region win, we played pretty well,” Allen said. “Clark Atlanta looked like they were a few players short, but a win’s a win.”
GCSU has won nine out of their past 11 games. On March 13-14, the Bobcats swept Augusta State in a three-game series, They won 22-3 in the first game, 8-6 in the second game, and 13-3 in the final game.
The Bobcats suffered a heartbreaking home defeat on March 16 when they lost to Lenior-Rhyne by one run with the score of 6-5.
GCSU got back into their groove on March 19-20 when they were on the road, sweeping No. 7 Columbus State in a three-game series. The Bobcats defeated the Cougars 9-7 in the first game, 12-7 in the second, and closed the series with a 4-3 victory.
On March 23-24, GCSU split a two-game series at Pfeiffer. The Bobcats defeated the Falcons 8-5 in the first game, but were defeated by Pfeiffer 9-8 in the second game.
The Bobcats were then on the road and defeated USC Aiken 2-1 in a three-game series on March 27-28. Even though GCSU was defeated 7-5 in the first game of the series, they stepped up their efforts and defeated the Pacers 8-1 in the second game and 14-12 in the final game, giving GCSU the series victory.
The Bobcats are at home today and tomorrow to face Georgia Southwestern in a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. tonight.
“We’re playing well in conference when it counts on the weekends, we’re a few weeks away from playoff time and I think we’re getting ready for that,” Carty said. “We need to practice and get back to some fundamentals defensively and get ready for Friday night.”
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