YOUNG HARRIS – The Young Harris College baseball team split a doubleheader on Friday as the Mountain Lions rallied to take the opener, 5-4, but dropped the second game, 8-1, at Zell B. Miller Field.
The Tornado struck first in the opener as Garrett Cook broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second on a solo home run to left to grab a 1-0 lead.
Young Harris (17-17) rallied in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs.
Trey Rogers, who went 2-for-3, doubled to begin the frame and advanced to third on a passed ball. Ryan LaRose plated Rogers on a groundout to the shortstop, tying the game at 1. Mike Medori singled up the middle and stole second. Tommy Ferguson advanced Medori to third on a sacrifice fly to center. Zach Bricknell walked and David Atwood singled through the right side to score Medori, giving YHC a 2-1 advantage.
The Mountain Lions extended the lead in the fifth as Medori began the inning by reaching on an error and took second on a Ferguson ground out. Medori advanced to third on an error by the pitcher and Bricknell scored Medori with a base hit up the middle to push the lead to 3-1.
Cook, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, belted his second homer of the game to left in the sixth to cut the Young Harris advantage to 3-2.
The Tornado (14-10) rallied in the top of the eighth off reliever Oliver Pratt with a pair of runs on three hits to grab a 4-3 lead.
The Mountain Lions answered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs as Jack Morrow reached on a two-out base hit to center and came in to score when Evan Carr belted a 3-2 pitch over the right field fence to give the Mountain Lions a 5-4 advantage.
Josh Rudnik started on the mound for the Mountain Lions in giving up a pair of runs, while scattering eight hits with a pair of walks and fanning eight. Pratt (2-0) pitched an inning to get the win and Brice Merritt picked up his first save by working the ninth.
Cory Rhodes (5-2) took the loss in working eight innings for the Tornado. He surrendered five runs (four earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
In the nightcap, King jumped out to a 4-0 advantage in the first inning.
The Tornado added to the lead in the fifth with a pair of runs to take a 6-0 advantage and King put the game away in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs to extend the advantage to 8-0.
Young Harris got a run in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as Medori opened the inning by reaching on an infield hit. Ferguson followed with a double to right center as Medori took third. Bricknell plated Medori with a ground out to the shortstop.
Merritt (1-4) started on the mound for Young Harris as he lasted 0.1 of an inning. He gave four runs on three hits and a walk. Adam Moore and Nick Boutwell pitched in relief.
Alex Martin (2-0) picked up the win in pitching six innings. He gave up four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Nick Melcher worked an inning in relief.
Young Harris concludes the three-game series against King College with a single, nine-inning, game at Zell B. Miller Field on Saturday, March 26. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m. Go to http://yhcathletics.athleticsite.net/bb/livestats/xlive.htm for Live Stats.
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