Sunday, March 16, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, Sports Information Director

SAINTS TAKE TWO MORE FROM GCSU, SWEEP SERIES
North Georgia completes first series sweep of season

Game 1 | Game 2

DAHLONEGA, GA – North Georgia College & State University trotted James Wiley to the hill in game one and sent Michael Patton to mound in game two as the pair combined for all but two outs in a double header sweep over GCSU Sunday afternoon in Peach Belt Conference action.

GCSU falls to 15-12 on the year and 3-6 in PBC play with the 11-3 and 4-2 losses, while North Georgia moves to two games over .500 at 13-11 with the three-game sweep and 7-5 in conference play.

In game one, dominate pitching and clutch hitting helped the Saints capture the second game of the series. North Georgia played long ball in the opener with a solo shot from Andre Airich, a two-run shot from Andrew Jones, and a three run blast from Josh Tate. Home runs led to six of the Saints 11 runs in the game.

Airich continued his good hitting, recording three hits in four trips, while four other North Georgia hitters had a pair of base knocks, including Craig Brisson who also scored three runs.

The Bobcats got in on the scoring in the third inning as Brooks Robinson guided a two-out single up the middle to plate Richard Pirkle and tie the game 1-1. The Saints would break the tie in the bottom of the inning and take the lead for good as Tate homered to give North Georgia a 4-1 lead.

GCSU would add a pair of runs in the seventh off a Gator Parker RBI single, but again the Saints would respond with a run in the bottom half of the inning and two more in the eighth for an 11-3 win.

James Wiley (2-2) came out strong and gave the North Georgia coaching staff their first complete game of the year. Going the distance, Wiley allowed just six hits and three earned runs while striking out four. Shaun Monica (2-2) suffered the loss for the Bobcats, lasting three innings and allowing eight hits and as many runs while striking out two.

In game two, after GCSU manufactured a run in the opening frame, North Georgia came right back and took the lead in the bottom of the first on Tate's second home run of the day to make it 2-1.

The Bobcats would not waste any time knotting the score 2-2 as Chandler Snell singled a run home in the second, but the Saints added single runs in the fourth and sixth, including a double by Anders Osters down the right field line to give North Georgia a 4-2 lead, a score that would hold true to the final out as the Saints completed a three-game sweep over GCSU.

Patton (4-1) showed he deserved PBC Pitcher of the Week, going 8.1 innings and allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out five. Eric Pettepher (2-2) picks up the loss for the Bobcats, lasting five innings and allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out five.

North Georgia (13-11, 7-5 PBC) will look to add to their three-game win streak as they hit the road for a mid-week two-game series with the Blazers of Valdosta State University. Game one is set for Tuesday evening at 6:00 pm while game two is slated for a 4:00 pm first pitch on Wednesday afternoon.

-NGCSU-

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