AMERICUS, Ga. - The good news was that the Georgia Southwestern State University baseball team held Albany State University scoreless in eight of the nine innings played Tuesday evening. The bad news was that the seven runs Albany State scored in the seventh inning was enough to hand GSW a 7-4 loss at Hurricane Stadium.
GSW dropped its sixth straight game to fall to 2-6 this spring while Albany State improved to 4-5. The Golden Rams have won the last two meetings in Americus.
How It Happened: Jared Jones delivered a two-out single in the first inning to score Jason Baita and put the Hurricanes ahead early.
Kole Clark opened the third inning with a single and later scored on a ground out deep in the hole at second base by Jonathan Martin to make it a 2-0 game. A sacrifice fly to center field by Tyler Skelton the following inning put the Hurricanes ahead by three runs and that lead carried over until the seventh. Albany State put together five hits - capped by a two-out, two-run double from Tyler Morris - and capitalized on three walks and a GSW error to push across their seven runs. GSW added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't advance a runner past second base the rest of the way.
GSW starting pitcher Kyle Britt turned in five innings of solid work on the hill before being replaced by Sage Holderfield. Britt held Albany State scoreless, struck out five and walked one. Holderfield (1-1) surrendered five earned runs during his 1 1/3 innings. Harrison Timberlake threw 1 2/3 innings, did not allow a run, walked two and struck out two. Matt Hubbard tossed a scoreless ninth inning.
Tristan Rice (1-1) went seven innings, scattered six hits and four runs, walked two and struck out one in 94 pitches. Kenny Bailey and Trey McMillian took an inning of relief apiece and McMillian picked up his first save of the season by working the ninth.
Who Stood Out: Baita was the lone GSW batter to record multiple hits. He went 2-for-3, walked once and laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Riliani Familia was 3-for-4 at the plate for Albany State with a double and run batted in.
Up Next: GSW returns to Peach Belt Conference action this weekend and hosts Augusta University for a three-game weekend series that begins Friday at 5 p.m.
