AMERICUS, Ga. –
Bryce Fitzgerald went 2-for-3 and hit a three-run home run, but it wasn't enough as Georgia Southwestern State University edged Flagler College 8-6 in the Peach Belt Conference baseball regular season finale for both teams Sunday at Hurricane Field.
Georgia Southwestern improved to 29-17 overall and it won the PBC regular season title with a 22-8 record. They will host half of the conference tournament this weekend. Flagler finished with an 18-30 overall record and a 12-18 mark in conference play.
The Saints got on the board first with a run in the first inning.
Trey Newland hit a one-out single and then stole second base to the program's NCAA Division II era record with 26 thefts. He broke the record in the seventh. Newland advanced to third on a ground out and scored on
Coy Phillips' single to center.
The Hurricanes answered with two in the home half of the first, added a single tally in the second, and scored two more in the third to take a 5-1 lead.
Flagler scored a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly, but allowed GSW to scored two runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh.
The Saints closed with a four-run eighth, thanks to Fitzgerald's blast to left field.
Colby Gordon (4-1) tossed six innings and allowed two runs on nine hits. Nick McCollum came in to pitch in the ninth and retired three-of-the-four batters he faced to earn his first save of the season.
Cory Lee collected three singles, scored two runs, and drove in another to lead the Hurricanes. Miles Hartsfield added two singles and scored two runs while Kalvin Alexander hit two singles and knocked in a run.
Daniel Fischer (1-3) started and took the loss for the Saints. He allowed three earned runs on five hits in 2.2 innings. Fischer struck out three batters.
Ashton Thomas and
Zach Thomas each went 2-for-5 with a double and they scored a run.
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