SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State University baseball team swept a Peach Belt Conference doubleheader from Young Harris College Friday (March 22) afternoon at Pirate Field.
The Pirate won 4-3 in the opener before taking an 11-5 decision in game two. Armstrong improved to 15-8 overall and to 7-6 in the conference while the Mountain Lions fell to 11-14 and 2-12. The two teams will wrap up their three-game series with a 10:30 a.m. contest – 30 minutes earlier than previously scheduled in order to beat the expected rains – Saturday (March 23).
A tight pitcher's duel between the Pirates' Caleb Woods and Young Harris' Cody Beck in game one came down to the seventh inning. Casey Maloney doubled to right center with one out for the Pirates, and Chase Butler drove him home with a single to make the score 4-3.
Young Harris had tied the game at 3 as Zach Bricknell doubled home one run in the top of the fourth and Spencer Thomas added a run-scoring single in the inning.
Woods (4-1) held the Mountain Lions in check through seven innings, scattering nine hits and three runs while walking one and striking out a season-high eight to pick up the win. Mitchell Dolan came in and hurled two innings of one-hit shutout relief to notch his second save of the season.
Beck (2-3) took the complete-game loss in game one for Young Harris, going eight innings and giving up nine hits and four runs - three earned - while walking two and striking out six.
Maloney went 2-for-3 with two hits and two runs scored to pace the Pirates in game one, while Clayton Miller and Chris Zittrouer also had two hits apiece. Young Harris was led by Bricknell's two doubles. Thomas, Trey Rogers and David Atwood each collected two hits for the Mountain Lions.
The Pirates scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning in game two to snap a 1-all tie and take a 4-1 lead. R.J. Dennard and Clayton Miller had RBI singles and a wild pitch scored the third run.
Each team traded runs in the fourth inning - the Mountain Lions on a solo home run by Bowen Klosinski and the Pirates on a passed ball. A single run in the fifth inning on an RBI groundout by Atwood and a single run in the sixth inning on a bases-loaded walk to Adam Moore brought Young Harris back to within one run at 5-4.
In the bottom of the eighth, seven straight Pirates opened the inning with singles en route to a six-run inning that clinched the game. Cody Sherlin and pinch hitter Nathan Ward delivered RBI singles, then Chase Butler added a two-run single and R.J. Dennard had an RBI single. Clayton Miller capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.
Young Harris loaded the bases in the top of the ninth and scored a run on a bases-loaded walk to Tom Valichka, but Juan Vera entered the game and got Klosinski to fly out to center to end the game.
Ethan Bader (3-0) notched the win for the Pirates in game two, giving up five hits and four runs - three earned - in 5 2/3 innings of work, walking three while striking out six.
James Mills (1-1) took the loss for Young Harris in game two, giving up two hits and three runs in 2 1/3 innings of work, walking three while striking out one.
Miller went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI to highlight Armstrong offensively in game two. Chris Fritts, Dennard and Sherlin also had two hits apiece. Young Harris got two hits from Wyshinski.
