Monday, May 2, 2005

Lander Comes From Behind In 12-7 Victory Over North Georgia

GREENWOOD, S.C.----David Walton picked the perfect time to break Lander University's single-season hits record. The senior blasted an eighth-inning, RBI double down the right field line, allowing Jonathan Myers to score the winning run in the 12-7 come-from-behind, non-conference victory over North Georgia College & State University Saturday at Legion Field.

Lander, which played its final home game of the season, improves to 28-23 overall, while North Georgia drops to 53-13. North Georgia, a member of NAIA, will join Lander in the Peach Belt Conference next year. Lander outhit the Saints, 16-9.

Walton, a senior infielder from Oak Harbor, Wash., picked up hit No. 78, breaking the record of 77 set by Jason Spivey . Walton was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles and four RBI.

Lander's David Glover , making his first appearance since April 2 because of an elbow injury, earned the victory and improved his season record to 7-3. Glover didn't allow a hit and struck out four in three innings pitched.

North Georgia's Josh Stowe (10-4) took the loss, striking out one, walking one and allowing one earned run on one hit in 1.1 innings.

North Georgia took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kevin Bulger singled, advanced to second on Richie Daigle's single then scored on an error by Lander shortstop Radley Raven . The Saints stretched the margin to 3-0 in the second inning when David Chastain and Justin Rickett both had RBI singles.

North Georgia increased its lead to 5-0 in the fourth when Brian Lauderdale blasted an RBI triple to right centerfield then scored on Bulger's RBI single.

Lander rallied for three runs in the fourth to cut the margin to 5-3. Adam Strongman singled, advanced to second on Kevin Davis' single then went home on Adam Hutchins' single to right field. James Compo then singled in Davis and Hutchins scored on a fielding error by the Saints' third baseman Rickett.

North Georgia added one run in the fifth for a 6-3 lead when Creston Warner doubled then scored on Ryan Seay's groundout to third. The Saints' Lauderdale scored one more in the sixth when he singled, stole second, advanced on a fly ball to right field then scored on Rickett's sacrifice fly.

Lander rallied to tie the game in the sixth at 7-7 with four runs. Walton stroked a base clearing double that scored James Compo , Jeremy Ryals , and Myers to cut the margin to 7-6. Walton then went home on Ryan Roeder's RBI single.

While Lander's bats started producing, Glover shut the Saints down the final three innings.

Lander scored five runs in the eighth inning to notch its fifth straight victory.

For leading batters for Lander were: Compo, 3-for-4 with one run scored and three RBI; Strongman, 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI; and Adams Hutchins 2-for-5 with one run scored and one RBI.

For North Georgia, Lauderdale went 2-for-5 with one triple, two runs scored and one RBI and Warner went 1-for-5 with one double and one run scored. Bulger went 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI.

Box Score

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