Box score

AMERICUS, Ga. − Georgia Southwestern State University plated three unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Flagler College 12-11 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Friday night at Hurricane Stadium.

The Hurricanes won their third game in a row and improved to 17-7 overall and 7-3 in the Peach Belt. Flagler fell to 17-12 overall and 5-5 in league play.

Flagler took an 11-9 lead into the bottom of the ninth and had ace closer Tyler McKendree (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) on the hill to wrap up the game. Kevin Carroll and Jared Allen greeted McKendree with a pair of base hits. The next batter, Shane Doyle, dropped down a sacrifice bunt attempt, but third baseman Travis Coverston's (Jacksonville, Fla./Stanton College Prep) throw went to down the right field line allowing both runs to score and Doyle made it all the way to third. After the next batter grounded out, Chris Lingham was intentionally walked to set up a double play. However, Heath Lock flied out to right field and Doyle beat the throw to the plate to end the game.

Flagler held a 6-0 lead through three and a half innings, and scored four times in the first inning alone. John Sgromolo (Fleming Island, Fla./Clay HS) and Dagmar Pena (Jacksonville, Fla./U. of Tampa) hit back-to-back run scoring singles and Payne Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla./Stanton College Prep) added another RBI single later in the inning.

Georgia Southwestern scored six times in the bottom of the fourth to tie game. Byron Haynes belted a two-run homer to get the 'Canes on the board and Zack Stanton capped the scoring with an RBI triple.

The Saints answered with three runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to take an 11-6 lead. Coverston had an RBI double in the fifth and Sgromolo blasted a two-run home run in the sixth.

GSW was able to get three runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to 11-9.

Brandon Reeder (2-0) picked up the win in relief. He tossed four and one-third innings, allowed four hits, two runs and struck out eight.

Caroll led the Hurricanes with four singles, three runs scored and collected one run batted in. Haynes doubled, homered and drove in two while Doyle singled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Paschel Poston added two singles.

McKendree (1-2) pitched two-thirds of an inning, gave up two hits and three unearned runs. Jonathan Armold (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest School) started and went six innings, surrendered eight hits and six runs.

Sgromolo went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Pena singled twice, doubled and drove in two runs. Five other Saints had two apiece in the 17-hit attack.

The same two teams will meet tomorrow (Mar. 27) in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.


Georgia Southwestern 12, Flagler 11 (03/26-10 at Americus, GA)
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Flagler............. 401 132 000 - 11 17 3 (17-12, 5-5 PBC)
Georgia Southwestern 000 600 303 - 12 15 2 (17-7, 7-3 PBC)
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Battery: Flagler - Jonathan Armold; Heath Storey(5); Zach Gray(7); Tyler McKendree(9) and Payne Maddox. Georgia Southwestern - Jody Sellars; Brandon Reeder(5) and Paschel Poston.
Win-Brandon Reeder(2-0) Loss-Tyler McKendree(1-2) T-2:50 A-122
2B FCB – Cale Owen; Zach Bove; Dagmar Pena; Travis Coverston; Payne Maddox.
2B GSW – Chris Lingham; Byron Haynes.
3B GSW – Zack Stanton.
HR FCB - Zach Bove (5); John Sgromolo (4).
HR GSW - Byron Haynes (8).