WALESKA, Ga. – Taylor Topping pitched a complete game and Josh Rudnik drove in four runs as the Young Harris College baseball team carried its momentum over from Sunday’s doubleheader at King College with a 17-4 victory over Reinhardt University in a game called after seven innings because of the mercy rule on Tuesday night at Ken White Field.
Young Harris (22-20) began the scoring in the top of the first inning as Tommy Ferguson led off the game with a double to left and advanced to third on a passed ball. Trey Rogers plated Ferguson on a sacrifice fly to center. With one down, David Atwood reached on an infield hit and Rudnik singled up the middle. Evan Carr, who was 3-for-3, drew a base on balls to load the bases. Atwood, who went 2-for-4, scored on a passed ball. Jack Morrow flied out to center for the sacrifice as Rudnik scored. Zach Bricknell followed and reached on a two base error as Carr came in to score, giving Young Harris a 4-0 lead.
Reinhardt (15-22-1) took advantage of four Young Harris errors in the bottom of the first to close the margin to 4-3.
The Mountain Lions, winners of four out of their last five, added three runs in the third as Carr reached on a base hit to left center and Morrow singled up the middle with two outs. Bricknell followed with a triple to deep center, plating Carr and Morrow. Bricknell came in to score on a wild pitch to give YHC a 7-3 advantage.
Young Harris started to get some distance from the Eagles in the fourth by scoring four runs in the top of the fourth.
Adam Moore walked to start the frame and Ferguson reached on a bunt single. Rogers got on base on a fielder’s choice to load the bases. Atwood flied out to right for the sacrifice as Moore scored and Ferguson took third. Rudnik cleared the bases with a three-run homer to left, extending the Mountain Lions lead to 11-3.
The Mountain Lions, who scored in six of the seven innings, increased the lead to 13-3 with a pair of runs in the fifth as Ferguson, who went 4-for-5, singled down the left field line with one down in the frame and Rogers drew a walk. Atwood singled through the right side to load the bases. Rudnik, who was 2-for-5, plated Ferguson on a fielder’s choice as Atwood was out at second. Carr followed with a base hit through the left side, scoring Rogers.
Young Harris, which has scored 39 runs in the past three games, added to the margin with a pair of runs in the sixth as Mike Medori, who went 2-for-5, singled to right center with one out and Bowen Klosinski walked. Ferguson followed with a base hit to left, loading the bases. Medori came in on a Rogers sacrifice fly to left and Klosinski scored when Atwood reached on an error.
The Mountain Lions, who pounded out 15 hits, put the game out of reach in the seventh with a pair of runs to take a 17-3 advantage.
Topping, who had retired six straight during a stretch, improved to 1-1 and was masterful in allowing four runs (one earned) on six hits, fanning five and walking three.
Ricky Johnson took the loss in surrendering 11 runs (10 earned) on nine hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 3.1 innings. Chris Fletcher, Matt Hartwell and Ethan Starr pitched in relief.
Young Harris, which seeks the series victory over Reinhardt, completes the home-and-home series with Reinhardt University with “Steak Night” at 6:00 p.m., on Wednesday, April 13 at Zell B. Miller Field. The Mountain Lions took the opening game of the series, 9-4, on March 15, but dropped an 18-5 decision on the road to the Eagles on March 16. Go to http://yhcathletics.athleticsite.net/livestats/bb/xlive.htm for Live Stats.
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