YOUNG HARRIS – Zach Bricknell and Tommy Ferguson homered, while Josh Rudnik and Oliver Pratt combined to give up four runs as the Young Harris College baseball team knocked off Reinhardt, 9-4, on Tuesday night at Zell B. Miller Field.
The Mountain Lions (16-12) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the first inning as Ferguson, who went 2-for-5, led off the frame with a base hit to left field and scored when Bricknell tripled off the wall in right center. Rudnik plated Bricknell with a ground out to the shortstop to give Young Harris a 2-0 advantage.
Bricknell, who was 2-for-4, continued his hot streak with his second solo home run in as many days, by smacking a shot over the right field fence to increase the Mountain Lions lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third.
Reinhardt (7-13) rallied and answered in the top of the fourth with three runs on three hits and took advantage of an error to tie the game at 3 and added a run in the top of the fifth to grab a 4-3 lead.
The Mountain Lions got the advantage back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth as Trey Rogers walked to begin the inning and took second when Adam Moore grounded out to the shortstop. With two outs in the frame, Ferguson parked his third homer of the season to deep left to give Young Harris a 5-4 lead.
Young Harris added to the lead in the seventh as David Atwood, who went 4-for-5, reached on an infield hit and Rudnik reached on a bunt single as Atwood took second. Evan Carr, who was 2-for-3, followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Jack Morrow grounded into a double play as Atwood scored to push the lead to 6-4.
The Mountain Lions put the game out of reach by scoring three runs on two hits in the eighth to extend the lead to 9-4.
Mike Medori reached on a one-out bunt single to begin the inning and advanced all the way to third when Ferguson reached on a two-base error. Bricknell got on base on a fielder’s choice. Atwood doubled to the wall in left to bring in Medori and Ferguson. Bricknell came in on a passed ball for the ninth run.
Rudnik (3-3) earned the win by pitching six innings, surrendering four runs on four hits with four walks and four strikeouts. Pratt picked up his third save by working three innings of relief.
Jeff Roberts started for the Eagles, going five innings. He gave up three runs, while scattering seven hits with three walks and fanning a pair. Kendrick McDonald (0-1), Chris Fletcher and Ricky Johnson worked in relief.
Young Harris completes its first home-and-home series with Reinhardt University 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 16 in Waleska, Ga. Go to http://yhcathletics.athleticsite.net/livestats/bb/xlive.htm for Live Stats.
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