Wednesday, March 21, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Travis Jarome, Sports Information Director

SAINTS OVERCOME SLOW START, EXTEND WINNING STREAK
Saints score six runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away   

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – North Georgia College & State University scored six runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away from visiting Southern Wesleyan, extending their winning streak to seven games, with a hard-fought 7-5 non-conference baseball victory here Wednesday afternoon.

Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Saints scored three runs in the frame to take a 4-3 lead. Freshman catcher Brad Hall led off the inning reaching first on a fielding error by Warriors second baseman Dustin Smith on a routine ground ball. He advanced to second when freshman outfielder Craig Brisson extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single up the middle with no one out. Andre Airich pushed both runners up 90 feet when he laid down a sacrifice bunt down the third base line for the first out, setting the table for centerfielder Josh Tate. The sophomore hit a routine fly ball in the infield, except that a miscommunication between Smith and first baseman John Sciullo led to the ball dropping behind the first base bag and loading the bases for the Saints with just one out in the inning. The hit extended Tate's hitting streak to a team-high 11 games. After a Kevin Morrison ground ball on the infield led to Tate being tagged out at second and Hall scoring to trim the lead, senior third baseman Justin Rickett hit a two-run double down the rightfield line to give the Saints the lead.

Southern Wesleyan (18-9) answered with a run in the top half of the sixth inning when Ryan Maedel hit a solo homerun to rightfield off of starter Don Brice (2-0).

However, North Georgia answered back in the bottom of the sixth by plating three more runs to take the lead for good. After a pitching change, Neil Krock drew a lead-off walk from reliever Guy Howard (0-1). He advanced to second when pinch-hitter Brett George's sacrifice bunt was mishandled by Maedel, Southern Wesleyan's catcher, leading to both runners reaching safely. Hall was then hit by a Howard pitch as he squared to bunt, loading the bases with no outs in the inning. Brisson then singled to center to drive in another run and give the Saints a 5-4 lead. Airich and Tate then followed with sacrifice flies to centerfield to drive home a pair and give the Saints an insurmountable 7-4 lead after six innings.

Zach Black came on in the seventh inning to record his first collegiate save, giving up one run in three innings of relief. Meanwhile, Brice went six innings in second collegiate start. He allowed four runs, all earned, off of six hits while striking out three. Between Brice and Black, the Saints did not walk a batter in the game.

Kody Hightower led Southern Wesleyan at the plate going 2-for-5, while Kellen Kmiecik went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Davey Blackburn went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a triple, and Maedel went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two runs batted in. Brandon Brown hit a two-run homerun in the top of the first inning for the Warriors for his only hit of the day.

Tate led North Georgia at the plate going 3-for-3 with two runs batted in, while Brisson went 2-for-4 with a run batted in and two runs scored.

North Georgia (16-11, 6-3 PBC) return to action this Saturday as they travel to UNC Pembroke (19-11, 4-11 PBC) in a key Peach Belt Conference series.

-NGCSU-

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