YOUNG HARRIS – Josh Rudnik and Zach Bricknell hit home runs and the offense exploded with 15 hits as the Young Harris College baseball team took the series from Saint Augustine’s College on Sunday with a 10-0 victory over the Falcons at Zell B. Miller Field in a game that finished in the seventh because of the 10-run mercy rule.
"We played very well today, both offensively and defensively," Young Harris head coach Rick Robinson said. "Tyler Isbell did a good job shutting them down. It was nice to win our first weekend series."
Young Harris took the opening game of the series, 4-1, and split the doubleheader with the Falcons on Saturday, winning the first game, 5-3, but dropping the second, 4-2.
On Sunday, the Mountain Lions (5-8) opened the scoring in the first inning with three runs on four hits.
Bricknell, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, led off the frame with a double to left and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, David Atwood, who had a pair of hits and two runs scored, singled to right to plate Bricknell. Rudnik followed with a singled down the line in right to move Atwood to third. Evan Carr grounded out to second as Atwood scored and advanced Rudnik to second. Jack Morrow reached on a base hit to right to move Rudnik to third. Morrow, who went 3-for-4, got caught in a run down, but Rudnik scored before the final out was recorded to give YHC a 3-0 lead.
Young Harris added to the lead in the bottom of the third with four more runs.
Tommy Ferguson, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, tripled to the wall in left-center to begin the inning. Atwood walked and Rudnik smacked the first pitch he saw over the right-field fence to give the Mountain Lions a 6-0 advantage. Young Harris wasn’t done as Morrow ripped a one-out single through the left side and advanced to second on a ground out by Ryan LaRose. Morrow came in to score on Adam Moore’s single to left.
Young Harris plated a run on a pair of hits in the bottom of the fifth.
Carr reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced all the way to third as Morrow slapped a base hit through the right side. LaRose brought Carr in on a sacrifice fly to right to give the Mountain Lions a commanding, 8-0, lead.
The Mountain Lions extended the lead in the sixth with a pair of runs.
Bricknell launched a homer deep over the right-field fence. Ferguson singled through the left side and Atwood ripped a base hit to center. After a pitching change, Rudnik, who went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and a pair of runs scored, hit a bloop single to right to plate Ferguson and give Young Harris a 10-0 lead.
Isbell (2-0) started for the Mountain Lions, going 5.1 innings. He scattered five hits and recorded five strikeouts with a pair of walks. Billy Demersky and Nick Boutwell pitched in relief.
Stephen Hamilton (1-2) took the loss for the Falcons (7-7). He gave up 10 runs on 14 hits with three walks and a strikeout in 5.1 innings. Joe Pierce worked 0.2 of an inning in relief.
The Mountain Lions will play a single nine-inning game at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22 at Zell B. Miller Field against Mars Hill. Visit http://yhcathletics.athleticsite.net/livestats/bb/xlive.htm for live stats.
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