YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – Young Harris College used a six-run fifth inning to rally past Flagler College 9-5 in the first game of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament best-of-three quarterfinal series this afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.
Young Harris, the No. 4-seed, improved to 34-16 overall. Flagler, the No. 5-seed, is now 24-27.
Ashton Thomas' two-run single in the third inning gave the Saints a 2-1 lead.
But the Mountain Lions sent nine men to the plate in the fifth and scored six runs on six hits. Jackson Jones' two-run double gave Young Harris a 4-2 lead. Later in the inning, Aaron Copeland belted a two-run home run to left field to cap the scoring.
The Saints got three runs back in the top of the sixth on RBI singles by
Tyler Keith and
Trey Newland. Keith scored the third run on an errant throw by the YHC second baseman.
Young Harris scored a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth for insurance.
Mountain Lion closer McLain Harris tossed 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn his seventh save. Mason Herbert (4-3) scattered nine hits and allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings to get the win.
Noah Fitzgerald paced the 14-hit attack with three hits, including a double, with one run batted in and he scored a run. Logan Worley and Ethan Underwood each collected two singles and scored two runs. Rome Wallace singled twice, scored a run and drove in two more.
Gage Voorhees (7-2) allowed six runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings to pick up the loss for the Saints.
Jaiden Warde went 2-for-4 with a double and he scored a run. Keith continues to be on a tear as he finished with two singles, scored two runs and he knocked in another. In his last three games, Keith is batting .545 with six hits, including two home runs, seven RBI, and six runs scored.
Mason Gray had two base hits.
Both teams meet tomorrow at 1 p.m. in game two of the series. Flagler has to win to force the if necessary game, which would follow tomorrow's early game. The winner of the series advances to the double-elimination round of the tournament next weekend.
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