AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern baseball team surrendered three runs over the final three innings of Game 2 and could not avoid a doubleheader sweep at the hands of Flagler College by scores of 14-3 and 7-6 on Saturday afternoon at Hurricane Stadium in Peach Belt Conference action.
The Saints hit a collective .405 over the two games with 10 doubles, 34 hits and 21 runs to extend their current winning streak to six games and improve their record to 9-4 overall and 5-0 in PBC play. GSW drops to 1-12 on the season and 0-4 in the PBC.
GAME 1: GSW 3, Flagler 14
Flagler scored six runs in the second inning and never looked back as the Saints cruised to the victory in the series opener, 14-3.
FC added a pair of runs in the third, sixth and ninth innings to go with runs in the fifth and seventh.
The Saints led 12-0 before GSW broke through for three runs in the eighth.
Every batter in the Flagler lineup collected a hit with a quartet of players finishing with three hits apiece. Brett Moreland, John Sgromolo, Jay Laurienzo and Nick Radomski led the way behind their three-hit efforts. Radomski pushed across a team-high three RBIs.
Gabby Ramirez had a solid game at the plate for GSW with his 3-for-4 performance. Ramirez scored one of the Hurricanes' runs.
Flagler starter Jonathan Armold improved to 3-1 this spring after throwing seven scoreless innings. He struck out five and walked two. Garrett Bush gave up all three GSW runs before making way for Brandon Haney who finished the game with 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Trent Franzago (0-3) struggled in his start for the 'Canes. Franzago exited in the third inning. Cameron Blinn, Hunter Thompson and Chase Burnfin all saw action out of the GSW bullpen.
GAME 2: GSW 6, Flagler 7
Georgia Southwestern took a 3-1 lead in the first, but could not stop a steady Flagler assult as the Saints answered every Hurricane rally and eventually took the lead in the ninth.
Corey Benson gave GSW the momentum early with a bases-loaded one-out double in the first inning that drove in Andrew Archer, Gabby Ramirez and Michel Coffey.
After Flagler had worked the score back to even (3-3) with single runs in the second and third, Kyle Nobles delivered the RBI double this time for the 'Canes in the bottom half of the third, driving in Benson.
Flagler wasted no time tying the game back up with a run in the fourth and the score remained 4-4 until the bottom of the sixth. That's when Coffey delivered a two-run one-out RBI single.
Once again, Flagler answered GSW's outburst as the Saints pushed across two of their own in the seventh.
The game-winning run came in the ninth when Charlie Stewart doubled to left center with one out, bringing around runners from first and second.
Archer opened the home half of the ninth with a double, but would move no farther as the next three batters were retired in order.
GSW had success against Flagler starter Micah Kellogg, pushing across four runs on four hits and three walks in three innings of work. Jake Brandenberger allowed two runs - one earned - in his three innings before Danny Brown (1-0) shut the door on the Hurricanes with three scoreless innings for the win.
Hurricane starter Matt Weaver did not factor in the decision after allowing four runs in five innings. Justin Lott surrendered two runs in 1 1/3 innings and Gray Carden (0-2) gave up the deciding run in the ninth while tossing the final 2 2/3 innings.
Stewart led all batters with his four-hit performance. He drove in three. Teammates Kyle Foti and Brett Moreland added three hits apiece.
GSW did not have a batter with multiple hits in the nightcap. Benson led the Hurricanes with his three RBIs.
The two teams wrap up their three-game set on Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest.
