YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Jackson Jones' bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning rallied Young Harris College past Francis Marion University 10-9 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Friday (March 17) evening at Zell B. Miller Field.

The Mountain Lions picked up their second consecutive Peach Belt win as they improved to 7-13 overall and to 2-5 in the league, while the Patriots slipped to 19-6 and 3-4. The teams play the middle game of their weekend series at 4 p.m. Saturday (March 18).

With the game tied at 9, Rudy Gaona, who went 3-for-3, started the winning rally with a double off the top of the fence in left-center field off FMU reliever Cole Hinnant (2-1). After Tyler Washington walked, Luke Miller moved both runners up 90 feet on his sacrifice bunt. The Patriots loaded the bases by issuing an intentional walk to Brett Westmoreland, before Jones sent the first pitch he saw into the right field corner with the game-winning hit.

Young Harris jumped out to a 9-2 lead through the first five innings as they scored three runs in the first, third and fifth innings. Zach Beggs started the scoring in the first with a two-run home run over the soccer/lacrosse press box in right-center field before Gaona added his second long ball - a solo shot to right field - of 2017 season.

Beggs, who went 3-for-5 with 5 RBI, connected on a three-run homer to right in the third inning. It was Beggs' team-leading eighth homer run of the year.Washington added an RBI double to left in the fifth, while Miller added a two-run single through the left side.

Francis Marion scored its first two runs in the second inning on Zach Callahan's two-run homer to right-center field. The Patriots rallied to tie the score at 9 with a seven-run seventh inning. Six of the seven runs came with two outs. Reese Cooley had a three-run homer - his seventh of the season - down the left field line and Brooks Kennedy added a two-run double.

Zach Hopkins (1-2) recorded the final out in the top of the ninth as the Mountain Lions wiggled out of trouble with two runners in scoring position. YHC starter Brian Syphoe didn't figure in the decision, but allowed just one earned run and struck out four in six innings.