YOUNG HARRIS – The Young Harris College baseball team completed a very long day at Zell B. Miller Field with an 8-6 victory over Waldorf to conclude play on Monday of the Chad Gassman Classic.
The Mountain Lions opened the day with a 14-4 win over Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Young Harris, which has reeled off 12 wins out of their last 14 games, opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning as David Atwood drew a one-out walk and scored when Jack Morrow doubled to the gap in left center to give the Mountain Lions a 1-0 lead.
Young Harris (13-9) added to the lead with a pair of runs in the second inning.
Zeke Gribble walked and took second on a passed ball to begin the frame. He advanced to third on a Tommy Ferguson sacrifice bunt. Mike Medori singled to left to bring Gribble in. Zach Bricknell reached on a two-base error as Medori stopped at third. Atwood flied out to center to plate Medori with the sacrifice, giving YHC a 3-0 lead.
The Mountain Lions extended the advantage to 5-0 in the third as Morrow, who went 2-for-3, was hit by a pitch to start the frame and came in to score when Evan Carr belted his first homer of the season to deep right.
Young Harris continued to score runs by plating a run in the bottom of the fourth as Bricknell walked to start the frame and moved to second when Atwood was hit by a pitch. After a double play moved Bricknell to third, Morrow walked. A wild pitch scored Bricknell, giving YHC a commanding, 6-0 lead.
Waldorf (4-4) closed the gap to 6-4 with four runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Young Harris got a run back in the sixth when Josh Rudnik led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to third on a base hit to right by Morrow. After a pitching change, Carr singled through the right side to plate Rudnik and push the Mountain Lions lead to 7-4.
The Warriors trimmed the deficit to 7-5 in the eighth with a solo homer to left by Shaun McGuire.
The Mountain Lions pushed across a run in the eighth as Rudnik reached on a fielder’s choice and moved to second on a balk. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a pitching change, Carr, who went 3-for-3, ripped a triple down the line in right to bring Rudnik in to give Young Harris an 8-5 lead.
Waldorf loaded the bases in the ninth and got a run, but that was as close as the Warriors would get.
James Mills (1-0) started for the Mountain Lions in pitching 4.1 innings. He gave up three runs on two hits with six strikeouts and a pair of walks. Oliver Pratt, Billy Demersky and Travis Donahoo worked in relief. Donahoo picked up his first save.
Joey Bishop worked 2.0 innings for the Warriors as he surrendered five runs on three hits with three walks. Dallas Nelson, Colin Morgan and Scott Harris pitched in relief.
Young Harris concludes play at the Chad Gassman Classic 2:00 p.m., March 8 at Zell B. Miller Field against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Go to http://yhcathletics.athleticsite.net/livestats/bb/xlive.htm for Live Stats of the finale between the Mountain Lions and Crimson Hawks.
STANDINGS IN THE CHAD GASSMAN CLASSIC: Young Harris – 4-0; Indian University of Pennsylvania - 2-3; Waldorf – 1-4.
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