YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Young Harris College pounded out 29 hits as the Mountain Lions swept their second baseball doubleheader from Saint Augustine's College in as many days Saturday (Feb. 18) afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.
Young Harris had 16 hits – eight for extra bases – in the opener as they defeated the Falcons 18-2. The Mountain Lions had 13 hits in the 6-1 nightcap victory.
The Mountain Lions extended their win streak to five games as they improved to 8-4. Young Harris returns to action Tuesday (Feb. 21) when they travel to Columbus, Ga., for a 2 p.m. contest against No. 5 Columbus State University. The Falcons fell to 5-9.
"It was a nice weekend for Young Harris College baseball," said Young Harris head coach Rick Robinson. "We played great defense, pitched well and hit the ball hard. Anytime you do that over a weekend, you have a chance to sweep."
Saint Augustine's took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener on Daveed Todd's two-runner homer to left. The Mountain Lions got a run back in their half of the inning on a Zach Bricknell's double to left. Bricknell collected three hits – two doubles and a third-inning homer – and led Young Harris with 5 RBI.
Adam Moore tied the game at 2 as he led off the second with a homer to left. The Mountain Lions took the lead for good later in the inning as David Atwood, who drove in four runs, hit the first of his two doubles to score two runs and give Young Harris a 3-1 lead.
The Mountain Lions, who scored 11 runs against Saint Augustine's starter Steve Hamilton (1-1), broke the game open as they sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs. Jack Morrow had two solo homers in the inning while Bricknell dialed long distance for a two-run shot to right.
Oliver Pratt (2-1) earned the win in relief for the Mountain Lions.
Young Harris took a 2-0 lead in the second on Dom Wyshinski's double to right-center off Falcon starter Alex Edwards (1-1). The Falcons got a run back in the fourth on David Nelson's homer to left, but the Mountain Lions responded with two runs in their half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead. Moore had a sacrifice fly while Tom Valichka, who went 3-for-3, added a run scoring single to left.
Young Harris added two more runs in the fifth. Mike Medori, who went 3-for-4, led off with a double and Trey Rogers knocked him in with a triple to center. Bricknell added a sacrifice fly.
Mountain Lion starter Tyler Isbell improved to 2-1 as he surrendered five hits and struck out four in five innings.
