#18 SAINTS TAKE TWO OF THREE GAMES FROM #25 HORNETS

Marietta, Ga. – In a battle of top 25 teams, 18th ranked North Georgia College & State University (41-12, 21-9) won two of three games from 25th ranked Southern Polytechnic State University (34-16, 19-11) this past weekend. One run decided the first two games of the series while the Saints took the final game 14-1.

Game 1

Game's one and two were pitcher's duals with a combined six runs scored in 14 innings of play. Game one saw Hornets senior starter Jason Wimberly allow only two earned runs off of six hits and senior reliever Heath Edmondson pick up the 3-2 win over North Georgia. Saints junior starting pitcher Stephen Flake (Marietta, Ga.) pitched equally as well in seven innings of work, but picked up the loss after giving up three earned runs off of five hits and striking out four batters.

SPSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the game, but a two run homer by senior right fielder Richie Daigle (Alpharetta, Ga.) knotted the score 2-2 and forced the game into extra innings. In the eighth inning, Hornets junior right fielder Justin Martin doubled to lead off the inning and moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt. North Georgia walked the bases full to create the force out, but a single from sophomore designated hitter Blake Canterbury scored the winning run for SPSU.

Box Score

Game 2

In yet another pitcher dual, Saints senior starter Jason Willard (Columbus, Ga.) pitched a complete game two hit shutout to give North Georgia the 1-0 win over the Hornets. Willard struck out nine batters and did not allow any free passes while an RBI sacrifice fly by junior left fielder Ryan Gurley (Jefferson, Ga.) gave the Saints the one run needed to win the ball game. With the win, Willard improves to 10-2 on the season and is the first pitcher in the Southern States Athletic Conference to win 10 games this season. SPSU sophomore starter Matt Koppin took the loss after pitching four and one third of an inning and allowing one earned run off of seven hits.

Box Score

Game 3

After two games of dormant offense, the Saints exploded for 14 runs off of 16 hits as they tore past the Hornets 14-1 on Sunday. Sophomore first baseman Creston Warner (Jacksonville, Fla.) led the charge with two home runs and a whopping seven RBI's. Warner went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored three runs to lead the North Georgia offense. All nine Saints starters got at least one hit, with five of those batters having multiple hits in the game. Junior second baseman Brian Lauderdale (Roswell, Ga.) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, Daigle went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI, Gurley went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI, and freshman center fielder Ryan Seay (Dawsonville, Ga.) went 2-for-5 with three RBI's.

After scoring four runs in the first inning, the Saints had climbed out to a 7-1 lead before scoring five more runs in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 11 runs. North Georgia added their final two runs in the sixth and seventh inning. The Hornets lone run came in the second inning after senior shortstop Rusty Waters scored on a fielder's choice.

Senior starting pitcher Justin Stowe (Marietta, Ga.) picked up the win after going six innings and allowing only one earned run off of three hits and striking out five. SPSU used six different pitchers in the game, but senior starter Kyle Whitlock took the loss after allowing four earned runs in two and one-third innings pitched.

North Georgia will take to the field again on Tuesday as they host Piedmont College at 7:00 p.m. The Hornets will play again on Wednesday at home against Bryan College for a double header.

Box Score

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