CENTRAL, S.C. – Young Harris College collected 16 hits as the Mountain Lions outlasted Southern Wesleyan University 12-8 in a non-conference baseball game Wednesday (Feb. 19) afternoon.

The Mountain Lions, who are 7-0 all-time against Southern Wesleyan, improved to 6-5 while the Warriors fell to 5-6. Young Harris opens its Peach Belt Conference schedule this weekend as they host No. 20 Lander University in a three-game set at Zell B. Miller Field. The teams will play a noon doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 22) followed by a noon single game Sunday (Feb. 23).

Young Harris took advantage of nine free passes issued by Southern Wesleyan pitchers. The Mountain Lions converted two walks into runs in the first inning. Josh Rudnik, who went 4-for-6, led off with a single and Adam Moore, who went 3-for-3, and Jack Morrow, who went 2-for-4, followed by walks to load the bases. David Atwood and Tom Valichka added sacrifice flies and Zach Wall, who was 3-for-6 with 4 RBI, added a RBI single to shallow right.

Southern Wesleyan responded with five runs in their half of the inning before the Mountain Lions retook the lead 6-5 after a three-run fourth. Rudnik hit a two-run homer to left in the inning and added another run on a wild pitch.

The Warriors tied the game at 6 with a run in the fourth before Young Harris took the lead for good with a run in the fifth on Moore's RBI single to right-center. The Mountain Lions added two more runs an inning later on RBI hits by Wall and Zach Odom, who went 3-for-4, to open up a 9-6 lead.

Wall added a two-run single to center in the seventh for the Mountain Lions and Morrow stroked a RBI single to left field in the eighth inning.

James Mills (1-1) earned the win in relief for the Mountain Lions while Kailyn Smith (0-1) took the loss.