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From Staff Reports

 

AUGUSTA – The Georgia Southwestern State University baseball team (GSW) came into its three-game series with Augusta University (AU) this past weekend having lost four straight games. However, the trip up to Augusta to take on the Jaguars turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for the Hurricanes. GSW won the first two games by scores of 14-2 and 15-3 on Saturday, March 27. Then on the following day, the Hurricanes let loose an offensive storm, clobbering the Jaguars 35-11 in Game 3 on Sunday, March 28.

In total, the Hurricanes outscored AU 64-16 over the two-day series.

In Game 1 on Saturday, GSW scored 14 runs on 12 hits and got home runs from Reid Ragsdale, Jonathan Martin and Miles Hartsfield. Ragsdale led the charge by going 3 for 6 at the plate with three runs scored and six RBIs. Martin also went 3 for 6 at the plate with two runs scored and three RBIs. Miles Hartsfield, Jeffrey Omohundro and Matthew Mamatas also had multiple hits in this game for the Hurricanes.

GSW senior pitcher Tucker Smith got the win and is now 3-1 on the season. He started on the hill for the Hurricanes and went the distance, giving up two runs on two hits, striking out eight and giving up two home runs in the contest.

In Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Hurricanes continued to pound the Jaguars. The score was tied 1-1 after the first inning, but GSW would take total control from there, scoring four runs in the second and three in the third to take a 7-1 lead.

However, the Hurricanes were still not finished. In the top of the fourth inning, they scored two more runs on an RBI double from Omohundro to take a 9-1 lead. The Jaguars were able to respond by scoring a run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Hurricanes still had more firepower to unleash. In the top of the fifth, Martin drove in three more runs on an RBI double to left centerfield to give GSW a 13-2 lead. Hartsfield and Omohundro each followed that up by driving in a run. Hartsfield was able to drive in Martin on a single to left field and Omohundro drove in Hartsfield on a sacrifice fly.

In total, the Hurricanes scored 15 runs on 18 hits and committed two errors in Game 2, while AU scored just three runs on eight hits and committed one error.

Martin led the GSW charge in Game 2 by going 5 for 5 at the plate with two doubles, four runs scored and three RBIs. Mamatas also had a red-hot bat as he went 4 for 5 with two runs scored. Anthony Angelino went 2 for 5 for GSW with a three-run home run in the third inning and Omohundro went 2 for 4 with one run scored and three RBIs.

The Hurricanes were able to use several pitchers in this game, but starter Jared Donalson was able to get the win, improving his record to 2-1. In five innings of work, Donalson gave up three runs on six hits, walked one batter, struck out three and gave up one home run.

As impressive as the Hurricanes were in the first two games of the series, their offensive performance paled in comparison to what they were able to do in Game 3 on Sunday, March 28. With the score tied at 6-6 going into the third inning, the Hurricanes scored four runs in the top of the third on a three-run home run by Martin and an RBI triple by John Austin Sutton. Hunter Foster was able to drive in a run in the fourth on an RBI single. Then Martin belted his second homer of the day in the fifth to give the Hurricanes a 12-6 lead. Sutton followed that up with a two-run homer of his own to make it 14-6 GSW. Then the Hurricanes scored two more runs in the fifth as Mamatas reached on an error, allowing Gregory Wozniak to score. This was followed by an RBI fielder’s choice by Omohundro, allowing Mamatas to score to complete a five-run fifth inning and increasing the GSW lead to 16-6.

However, there was much more to come from the Hurricanes. In the top of the sixth inning, they scored a total of nine runs on four more home runs. Martin hit the first of his two home runs in this inning to bring in two runs. Then Sutton hit his second home run of the day to bring in two more runs.

The Hurricanes were still not done with the long ball, as Wozniak belted a solo homer to make it 21-6 GSW. Then Martin belted his second homer of the inning and fourth of the game to extend the Hurricanes’ lead to 25-6.

After a scoreless seventh inning from both teams, it was time for the “back side” of the Hurricanes to show up. In the top of the eighth, GSW scored seven more runs. Five of those runs came off a three-run home run by Jacob Harrell and a two-run home run by Angelino; his second of the game.

In the top of the ninth, the Hurricanes got three more runs on a two-run single from Angelino and an RBI by Gunner George, who was able to drive in Devin Shea by drawing a walk.

In total, the Hurricanes scored 35 runs on 34 hits and committed two errors, while the Jaguars scored 11 runs on 10 hits and committed one error.

A total of 12 home runs were belted in this game and nine of them came from the Hurricanes. Jonathan Martin had a total of four home runs in Game 3 and Sutton belted two. Wozniak, Harrell and Angelino also homered in this game to round out the nine bombs sent out by the Hurricanes.

Martin went 4 for 5 on the day with a total of seven runs scored nine RBIs. Both Miles Hartsfield and John Austin Sutton each had five hits in this game, while Anthony Angelino and Gregory Wozniak each had four hits.

Nick McCollum ended up getting the win for GSW and is now 5-2 on the season. McCollum was the second of four pitchers used by the Hurricanes. He gave up two runs on two hits (including one home run), walked five batters and struck out seven.

Ben Markiewicz had three homers on the day for the Jaguars and drove in eight RBIs. AU starting pitcher Will Cantrell took the loss and is now 0-5 on the season. He gave up six runs on seven hits, walked two batters and struck out one.

The Hurricanes (11-10, 10-8 PBC) will try to extend their winning streak to four games when they host Albany State on Tuesday, March 30 at 5 p.m.