GREENWOOD – North Georgia College & State University scored five runs in the top of the first inning and held on to defeat the Lander Bearcats 7-5 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Sunday at Legion Field.
The Saints won the three games series two games to one, improving to 8-8 overall and 3-3 in the Peach Belt. Lander fell to 5-10, 2-4.
Casey Downam became the emergency starting pitcher for the Bearcats when scheduled hurler Jason Roubicek became injured during warm-ups. But Downam was only able to get one out and allowed five runs.
Craig Brisson hit a lead-off double down the third-base line, Andre Airich walked and Rob Flanigan reached on an infield hit to load the bases ahead of Daniel Pettiti's two-run double. After Josh Tate grounded out to the pitcher, Anders Oster also grounded back to the mound but Downam threw the ball into left field, resulting in another run. Andy Quick replaced Downam and allowed Kevin Morrison's two-run single, making it 5-0. Bearcats right fielder Gabe McCann made a nice running catch in the corner to prevent further damage.
Lander got back into the game in the third on McCann's three-run homer. Brian Bender led off the inning by beating out an infield single to short, Malcolm McLeod was hit by a pitch, and Robert Skinner bunted the runners over. McCann then homered down the right-field line over the 335-foot sign.
North Georgia increased its lead to 6-3 in the fourth when Neil Krock doubled and scored on Airich's double. A diving stop by third baseman Skinner on Flanigan's hard grounder in the hole saved a run.
Lander closed the gap to 6-4 in the fifth when McLeod reached on an error, moved to third on Skinner's single, and scored on a Brooks Arnette's single to left.
The Saints made it 7-4 in the top of the sixth when Brisson singled, moved to third on Airich's single, and scored when the relay throw was mishandled. But the Bearcats got that run back in the bottom of the sixth when Alex Baur hit his second double of the game and scored on Bender's single, making it 7-5.
But after four consecutive innings in which runs were scored, the last three innings went scoreless. Starter Alex Simmons (1-0) was the winning pitcher for the Saints while Michael Patton earned the save with 3.2 innings of scoreless, one-hit baseball. Downam (0-2) took the loss. Brad Hay was Lander's most effective pitcher, allowing one run on three hits in 4.1 innings.
Leading hitters for North Georgia were Brisson, 3-for-5 with two runs; Airich, 2-for-4; and Pettiti and Morrison with two RBI apiece.
Pacing Lander at the plate were Skinner, McCann, Baur and Bender with two hits apiece. McCann led the way with three RBI.
