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AMERICUS – After splitting its first two games against Columbus State on Friday and Saturday, the Georgia Southwestern State University Baseball Team (GSW) came into Sunday’s game against the Cougars hoping to win the rubber match and take the series. Thanks to a five-run explosion in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Hurricanes were able to come away with an 11-8 victory and win the three-game series with CSU.

The Hurricanes won Game 1 on Friday by the score of 13-6, but lost Game 2 on Saturday by the score of 6-2.

“Give our guys credit,” GSW Head Coach Josh McDonald said. “Andrew Geiger didn’t have his best stuff today, but Joe Roden and Colby Gordon came in and gave us a chance to win. Give our guys credit for staying scrappy and getting runs when we needed them. Obviously, the big inning helped at the end, but again, when the series is split going into Game 3, everybody wants the same thing, but I think we wanted it a little bit more today.”

Geiger got the start on the mound for the Hurricanes. He gave up five runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts in four innings of work. Joseph Roden came on in relief of Geiger. In a little over two innings of work, he gave up a run on one hit, walked four and struck out five. Colby Gordon came on in relief of Roden and ended up getting the win (2-0). In a little over two innings of work, he gave up two runs on five hits with three strikeouts.

Going into the bottom of the eighth, the Hurricanes trailed 7-6. Kalvin Alexander led off the frame with a walk and later stole second. Jake Blinstrub then drew a walk and Miles Hartsfield reached on a throwing error that allowed two runs to score. Cory Lee then singled and stole second and Brant Deerman followed that up with a single, advancing Lee to third. Deerman then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Lee to score. After George Davis struck out for the first out of the frame, Paul Hegeman drove in Deerman on a sacrifice fly and the Hurricanes had an 11-6 lead.

The Cougars scored two runs on three hits in the top of the ninth, but GSW relief pitcher Colby Gordon struck out Andrew Rubin to end the game and preserve an 11-8 victory.

Brant Deerman led the Hurricanes’ offensive attack by going 5 for 5 at the plate with three runs scored and Cory Lee went 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored. In addition to the offensive production of Deerman and Lee, the Hurricanes got home runs from George Davis and Kalvin Alexander.

The win puts the Hurricanes at 29-13 overall and 13-8 in the Peach Belt Conference. The Cougars are 27-16 overall and they are also 13-8 in the PBC.

The Hurricanes will step out of PBC play when they travel down to Valdosta to take on Valdosta State on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.