YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Rudy Gaona drove in six runs including an eighth inning grand slam for Young Harris College as they defeated No. 7 Columbus State University 11-6 in game two of the Peach Belt Conference baseball series Saturday (April 21) afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.
The Mountain Lions improved to 25-21 overall and 15-14 in the PBC, while the Cougars fell to 34-8 and 16-6. The two teams wrap up the series Sunday (April 22) at 1 p.m. Young Harris will recognize its 11 seniors prior to the game.
Columbus State scored twice in the second and one in the third to take an early 3-0 lead. Austin Pharr hit a two-run homer over the left field fence in the top of the fourth inning to give the Cougars a 5-0 advantage.
The Mountain Lions plated four in the fifth inning that started after
Tyler Washington reached on a fielder's choice that lead to
Brett Graczyk and
Corley Reynolds scoring on an error.
Jackson Jones added the third run of the inning with a single to the pitcher that scored
Logan Worley. Gaona cut the lead down to one (5-4) with a RBI single through the left side that scored Washington.
The Cougars got one back in the top of the sixth by Pharr's second home run of the day over the fence in right field.
Graczyk came around to score in the bottom of the sixth for Young Harris after Washington reached on a fielding error. Worley tied the game at 6 after he scored on a wild pitch. Gaona gave the Mountain Lions a 7-6 lead with a single through the left side to score Washington.
After Columbus State intentionally walked Jones to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Gaona sent the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for his team-leading 11th homer of the year to give Young Harris an 11-6 lead. It was the sixth grand slam hit by the Mountain Lions this season, setting a new PBC record. The previous record of five was done five different teams, including by the 2014 Young Harris team.
Hudson Graham (3-1) picked up the win for the Mountain Lions as he gave up one hit with one strikeout in 1.1 innings.
McLain Harris picked up his fifth save of the season as he allowed one hit with two strikeouts in two innings.
Gaona went 4-for-5 at the plate with six RBI and a run scored. Jones collected two hits, one RBI, and a run scored. Worley had two hits and three runs scored while Washington had one hit and three runs scored.
Brett Graczyk tallied one hit and two runs scored while Reynolds had one hit and a run scored.
Perez Knowles (5-2) earned the loss for the Cougars as he gave up seven unearned runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.
