YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Young Harris College swept both ends of a baseball doubleheader from Montreat College Sunday (Feb. 26) afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.
The Mountain Lions, who ran their win streak to 10 with the sweep, took a 9-4 decision in the opener as every starter had at least one hit. Young Harris had seven extra-base hits, including four homers, in the nightcap as they blanked the Cavaliers 14-0 in seven innings.
Young Harris improved to 13-4 while Montreat fell to 5-11. The Mountain Lions close out the homestand Tuesday (Feb. 28) with a 3 p.m. contest against North Greenville University.
The Mountain Lions took a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap as they took advantage of a Montreat error. Jack Morrow doubled home a run and Dom Wyshinski added a run-scoring single up the middle. Young Harris added two runs in the third on Zach Bricknell's first homer of the game – a shot to right-center – on the first pitch he saw from starter David Flanagan.
Bricknell, who shares the team lead with five home runs, wasn't done as he and Morrow connected on back-to-back homers in the fourth as the Mountain Lions pushed across three more runs. Bricknell's homer was a two-run blast to right while Morrow's offering – his fifth of the season – went to left-center.
Young Harris broke the game wide open with a six-run sixth inning. Sam Tarlton had a two-run single and Zeke Gribble connected on a grand slam – his first homer of the season – on the 10th-pitch of his at bat.
Young Harris starter Taylor Topping (1-0) allowed just two hits in six innings to earn the win.
Six different players – Mike Medori, Adam Moore, Bricknell, Tom Valichka, Bowen Klosinski and Tyler Spradlin – had two hits each in the opener.
The Mountain Lions took a 2-0 lead in the second on a balk and a RBI single through the right side by Medori. Montreat got a run back on a wild pitch in the fourth. Young Harris took a 6-1 lead after six innings. The Mountain Lions tacked on an unearned run in the fifth and before scoring three times an inning later. Wyshinski had RBI single, Medori added a run-scoring double and Moore drove in a run on a fielder's choice.
The Cavaliers got three runs back in their half of the eighth. Pat Dawkins and Tyler Hopkins had run-scoring doubles for Montreat before reliever Cody Beck, who recorded his first save, got the Mountain Lions out of further trouble.
Young Harris added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eight. David Atwood drove in Spradlin, who had led off with a triple down the right field line, with a single. Bricknell knocked in a run with a single before Morrow added a sacrifice fly.
Mountain Lion starter Tyler Isbell (3-1) struck out seven and allowed just six hits in 7 1/3 innings to earn the win.
