GREENWOOD – Lander's Brooks Arnette hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning, helping rally the Bearcats to an 11-9 victory in Game 2 of a Peach Belt Conference baseball double-header against North Georgia College & State University Saturday afternoon at Legion Field. The Saints rallied with three runs in the ninth to win the opener, 5-4. (Game 1 Box | Game 2 Box)
Lander is 5-9 overall and 2-3 in the Peach Belt. North Georgia is 7-8, 2-3. The teams will play the final game of their series Sunday at 1:30 at Legion Field.
North Georgia took the lead in the top of the first inning of Game 2 when Andre Airich doubled to short right, moved to third on Rob Flanigan's ground out, and scored on Daniel Pettiti's infield single.
The Saints increased their lead to 3-0 in the third when Craig Brisson singled and Flanigan followed with a towering two-run homer over the right-field fence.
North Georgia added a run in the fourth when Anders Oster walked, moved to second on Chad Sage's bunt, and scored on Neil Krock's two-out single, making it 4-0.
The Bearcats pulled within 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth, putting together a two-out rally. Arnette and A.J. Nunziato singled, and both scored on Nate Mangiapane's double to left.
Lander's Robert Skinner cut it to 4-3 in the fifth when he homered over the fence in left center, his first of the season.
The Saints increased their lead to 6-3 in the sixth when Oster and Sage singled and scored on Davy Wallach's double to left.
The Bearcats rallied in the bottom of the sixth with four runs to take a 7-6 lead. TJ Guinan singled, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw and scored on Nunziato's single. Alex Baur drove in a run with a line drive hit off the pitcher, Malcolm McLeod singled home the tying run, and Skinner followed with a run-scoring single to put Lander on top.
North Georgia's Brisson hit a leadoff homer in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 7.
Lander regained the lead in the bottom of the seventh when Gabe McCann singled, was forced out at second on Guinan's fielder's choice, which was followed by Arnette's first homer of the season, a two-run shot over the left-field fence to give the Bearcats a 9-7 advantage.
The Saints closed within 9-8 in the eighth when Oster singled, moved to second when Sage walked, to third on Wallach's single, and scored when Krock grounded out to the pitcher.
The Bearcats extended their lead to 11-8 in the eighth on McCann's two-run single. Josh Lovvorn started the rally with a pinch-hit double, Baur was hit by a pitch, and McLeod reached on a bunt single to load the bases ahead of McCann's single.
North Georgia threatened to rally again in the ninth as it did in Game 1. Lander's Jake Hover walked Airich and hit Flanigan with a pitch. Justin Altman entered in relief and walked Pettiti on four pitches, leaving the bases loaded with no one out. But Josh Tate lined out to short, Oster hit a sacrifice fly to right, and after a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Altman struck Sage out swinging to end the game. Hover (1-0) was credited with the win while Altman got his first save.
Leading hitters in Game 2 for Lander were McLeod, Skinner and Nunziato with three hits apiece, while Arnette and McCann were each 2-for-4 with two RBI. Wallach, Brisson and Oster had two hits apiece for North Georgia.
The Saints rallied with three runs in the top of the ninth to win the opener. Stymied most of the game by Lander starting pitcher Daniel Hinchberger, North Georgia took advantage of Bearcats relievers Craig Roberson and Brad Hay. Roberson gave up a leadoff single to Tate and walked Oster and Kevin Morrison.
Hay relieved Roberson and hit Wallach with his first pitch, forcing in a run. The Saints tied the game when Krock hit into a double play. Brisson doubled over the center fielder's head to give North Georgia a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Saints reliever Zach Black retired the Bearcats in order in the bottom of the ninth, earning his second save of the season. North Georgia's second pitcher of the game, Jacob Rickett (1-1), got the win in relief of starting pitcher Chris Curtis.
The rally wasted a strong effort by Hinchberger, who allowed two unearned runs on five hits in eight innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Hay (0-1) took the loss.
Lander led almost the entire game, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the first inning when McCann reached on a two-out single to right and scored on Guinan's double into the left-field corner. Lovvorn followed with an RBI single to left.
North Georgia scored in the fifth when Morrison walked, stopped at second on Wallach's infield single, was bunted to third by Krock, and scored on Brisson's ground out to shortstop.
The Bearcats increased their lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth on Skinner's two-run single. Baur and McLeod got the rally started with singles and scored on Skinner's hit up the middle.
The Saints scored a run in the eighth when Krock and Airich singled, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored on Flanagan's ground out. Lander first baseman Arnette made a diving stop of Flanagan's hard grounder, saving another run.
Leading hitters in the opener for the Bearcats were Skinner who was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Guinan who was 2-for-4 with one RBI. Wallach and Tate had two hits apiece for North Georgia while Brisson had two RBI.
