By Staff Reports

 

AMERICUS – The GSW Hurricanes Baseball Team (5-24, 1-16 PBC) took it on the chin Friday afternoon, March 30, as the Mountain Lions of Young Harris College blasted GSW in the first game 20-1 and took the second game 7-3 at Hurricane Stadium.

The Mountain Lions scored one run in the first, three runs in the second and two in the fourth. However, the big blow came in the fifth inning, when Young Harris put the game out of reach by scoring seven runs in their half of the inning. The visitors from the mountains didn’t stop there. They tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh and one in the ninth. GSW got their only run of the game in the bottom of the ninth, but it was far too late for a comeback by then.

Young Harris took advantage of five errors committed by the Canes, while the Mountain Lions only committed two. Young Harris scored 20 runs on 27 hits. The Hurricanes were held to just five hits. One of those hits came from pinch hitter Tyler Summerall. He made the most of his one at bat. He hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to keep the Hurricanes from being shut out. Kole Clark and Jeremiah Barnett also went 1-for-2 in the game. Dakota Long went 1-for-3, and Andy Moore went 1-for-3 to round out the Hurricanes’ offense.

For Young Harris Skylor Murphy went 3-for-4 and scored two runs. Jackson Jones went 2-for-4 and drove in three RBIs. Cory Ewald also did some damage to the Canes by going 2-for-3, scoring a run and driving in two RBIs.

As far as pitching was concerned, it was a rough game on the mound for GSW pitchers. The Hurricanes used five pitchers in Game 1. Kyle Britt (2-2) started the game for GSW and took the loss. However, he lasted 2.1 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits. Four of those runs were unearned. He walked one and gave up a home run to Logan Worley.

Matt Hubbard came on in relief. He worked two innings, giving up seven runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two. However, he too was bit by the long ball. Jackson Jones belted one out of the park off of Hubbard. Hayden Martin came on in relief of Hubbard. Martin worked 2.2 innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits. Three of those runs were unearned. He walked two and struck out four.

Then it was A.J. Hayes’s turn to toe the rubber. Hayes worked 1.0 innings of relief. He gave up no runs and only gave up a hit. He walked none and struck out one. The final pitcher of Game 1 was Sage Holderfield. He worked an inning, giving up two runs on one hit. He struck out two batters and walked none.

The Mountain Lions used just two pitchers. Michael Livingston (4-1) started for Young Harris and got the win. He pitched brilliantly for seven innings, giving up no runs on three hits. We walked none and struck out 10 Hurricane batters. Zach Hopkins came on in relief for Livingston. Hopkins pitched two innings, giving up two runs on one hit. He walked none and struck out four.

In Game 2 of the Friday doubleheader, the Hurricanes had a much better showing, but still fell to the Mountain Lions 7-3. Young Harris got on the board first, scoring a run in the top of the third. GSW answered in the bottom of the fourth by scoring a run to tie the game. However, Young Harris scored two runs in the eighth and four in the ninth to seal the victory in Game 2.

Young Harris scored seven runs on eight hits and committed four errors. The Hurricanes scored three runs on five hits and committed one error.

Mitch Holloway (1-7) took the loss. He pitched eight innings, giving up four runs on five hits. He walked four and struck out six. Harrison Timberlake came on in relief. Timberlake worked an inning, giving up three runs on three hits. He walked none and struck out one.

The Hurricanes struggled to get hits in Game 2. Jonathan Martin went 1-for-4, driving in a run. Tyler Skelton also went 1-for-4 and scored a run for the Hurricanes.