ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. | The Young Harris College baseball team defeated the University of South Carolina Aiken 5-2 to capture the first Peach Belt Conference tournament title in program history Sunday (May 12) afternoon at Drysdale Field.
The Mountain Lions improved to 35-19, while the Pacers fell to 32-22. Young Harris earned the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament that begins later this week. This marks the first time in program history that the Mountain Lions have made the tournament. The tournament selection show takes place Sunday (May 12) at 10 p.m. at www.NCAA.com
Cole Jackson put Young Harris on the board first with a one out single through the right side to score
Zavier Lushington in the second inning.
Corley Reynolds drove in the second run of the game after reaching on a fielder's choice to shortstop.
Lushington doubled home
Brett Hawkins in the third inning to extend the YHC lead to 3-0. Cash hit a solo home run to left field, his third of the season, to make it a 4-0 game for the Mountain Lions.
Cash made it a 5-2 game for YHC with his second solo homer of the night, fourth of the season, to left center.
McLain Harris came in with two runners on and one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. He retired the last two batters to seal the victory and the tournament for the Mountain Lions.
Drew Wilson (5-4) picked up the win for Young Harris has he allowed one run on three hits with one walk and six strikeouts in five innings pitched. Harris recorded his seventh save of the season with a clean slate in 0.2 innings pitched.
Cash went 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI and three runs scored, while
Tyler Washington had a perfect 3-for-3. Jackson and Lushington each had two hits and drove in a run. Reynolds had a hit and a RBI.
Lushington was named the PBC Tournament's Most Valuable Player, while Cash and Washington were named to the All-PBC Tournament team.
Henry Cartrett (1-4) earned the loss for Aiken as he allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in two innings pitched.
