YOUNG HARRIS – David Atwood went 4-for-5 and Tyler Isbell pitched solidly in relief as the Young Harris College baseball team pounded out 17 hits as the Mountain Lions defeated Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 14-4, in a game called in the eighth because of the NCAA mercy rule during the third day of the Chad Gassman Classic on Monday at Zell B. Miller Field.

Young Harris (12-9) began the scoring in the first inning as Atwood singled to right center, but was forced out at second when Josh Rudnik reached on a fielder’s choice. Rudnik, who went 2-for-5, took second and third, and scored on wild pitches to give the Mountain Lions a 1-0 lead.

The advantage grew to 2-0 in the bottom of the second as Zeke Gribble drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a stolen base. With two down, Atwood plated Gribble with a base hit to right center.

However, the Crimson Hawks (4-4) tied the game at 2 with a pair of runs in the top of the third and grabbed a 3-2 advantage with a run in the fifth.

The Mountain Lions answered with eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 10-3 lead.

Atwood led off with a base hit to left and took second on a wild pitch. Rudnik reached on an error as Atwood advanced to third. Jack Morrow, who was 2-for-4, followed and smacked his fourth homer of the season to deep left to clear the bases and give Young Harris a 5-3 lead. With one down, Adam Moore singled and advanced to third on a double by Trey Rogers. Gribble, who went 2-for-4, hit a bloop single to shallow left, plating Moore and Rogers. Bricknell drew a two-out walk as Gribble took second. Atwood, batting for the second time in the inning, drilled a double to left, scoring Gribble and Moore. Rudnik continued the offensive onslaught with a base hit through the right side, plating Atwood.

The Crimson Hawks scored a run in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 10-4, but the Mountain Lions got the run back in the bottom of the inning as Moore was hit by a pitch with one out and took second and third when Rogers singled through the right side. Rogers was picked off and Moore came in to score to give YHC an 11-4 advantage.

Young Harris continued to add to the lead in the seventh as Mike Medori, who was 3-for-5, reached on an infield hit and scored on a two-run homer by Zach Bricknell.

The Mountain Lions ended the game in the eighth as Gribble led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to second on a base hit to left by Medori. With two down, Atwood brought in his four RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center to end the game.

Taylor Topping pitched 3.2 innings for Young Harris. He gave up two runs on five hits, while walking a pair and fanning three. Tyler Isbell (3-0) earned the win in working 4.1 innings of relief. He surrendered a pair of runs on six hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts.

Evan Phillips (0-1) started for the Crimson Hawks, going 4.1 innings. He surrendered six runs (five earned) on six hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts. Tyler Squibbs, Devin Doutt and Connor O’Malley pitched in relief.

YHC Athletics