FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Contact: Robert Preston, Jr.,
912.260.4276
robert.preston@sgc.edu
Tigers Fall to Gordon in Semi-Finals
It took 28 innings to decide which team -- the South Georgia
College Tigers or the Gordon College Highlanders – would advance to the
GJCAA Region 17 finals. In the end, Gordon prevailed in 10 innings after
left fielder Chase Raffield hit a solo home run that broke a 4-4 tie in the
third game Sunday afternoon.
The series kicked off Saturday afternoon with a double-header. Gordon made a
statement early, scoring 11 runs in the first three innings of game one to
put the contest out of reach. SGC attempted to battle back but could only
manage four runs. The Highlanders won the game 14-4 in seven innings.
Gordon’s starter, Ted Pratt, threw a complete game and allowed just five SGC
hits. The Tigers, meanwhile, went through four pitchers and never really
stopped Gordon’s onslaught. Only Scott Groover, the fourth pitcher of the
afternoon, escaped without giving up any runs. Starter Justin Fordham (1-1,
10.00 in the postseason) took the loss after lasting just two innings.
In game two, the Highlanders picked up where they left off in the first
game. With ace Frank Ambrosino (1-0, 3.68) on the mound, Gordon scored five
runs on four hits in the top of the first, including a double by Dustin
Dalken and a two-run home run by Robbie Payne, to jump out to an early lead.
The Tigers, however, weren’t ready to give up and let the Highlanders leave
Douglas with the sweep. They scored one run in the first, second, fourth,
fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at five apiece. In the top of the
seventh, Raffield, who had doubled, scored on a Kelly Williams single to
give Gordon a one-run lead. The Highlanders’ advantage lasted less than an
inning. In the bottom of the frame, SGC shortstop Andrew Anderson led off
with a solo home run – his second of the postseason and tenth of the season
– to knot the score at six.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning. Reliever David O’Neal retired the
first two Gordon batters in the top of the ninth before giving up a two-out
single to Raffield. Unfazed by the hit, O’Neal coerced Williams to ground
out to end the inning. The top of the Tigers’ order was due up in the bottom
of the ninth. Lead-off man Kenny Sanderson reached on a single to pitcher
Bryant Kerns and moved to second on Kerns’ wild throw. Stuart Drew popped
out to right field to bring Andrew Anderson to the plate. During his at-bat,
Sanderson went to third on a wild pitch by Casey Shiver, who entered the
game after Drew’s fly out. Anderson walked, putting runners on first and
third for clean-up hitter Josh Palmer. Palmer fell victim to Shiver and
struck out, bringing the always dangerous Logan Gaines to the plate. Gordon
intentionally walked Gaines to load the bases.
The Highlanders decided to make another pitching change and sent in Jordan
Johnson, the fourth pitcher of the afternoon. SGC head coach Scott Sims made
a change of his own and called on David Reid-Foley to pinch hit for Seth
Foster. Reid-Foley hit a grounder to second baseman Nate Mitzel, who had to
rush the throw. The field was wet due to a brief spell of heavy rain (the
game was interrupted twice by weather, including once in the ninth) and the
soggy ball got away from Mitzel on the throw, allowing Sanderson to score
from third to win the game. O’Neal (1-0, 0.00) earned the win in 2 1/3
innings of work.
With the series tied at one game apiece, the two teams met for a decisive
game three on Sunday afternoon. Both squads got on the board early, scoring
two runs each in the first inning. Gordon added a run in the third to take a
3-2 lead. SGC plated two more in the bottom of the fifth to go up 4-3. The
lead didn’t last long; Aaron Dobbs tripled with two outs in the seventh to
score Payne and even the game at four. Following the triple, Zack Hula
replaced SGC starter Bray Bishop. Hula walked Raffield but then retired
Williams to get out of the inning without any more damage. In the bottom of
the seventh, SGC had an opportunity to get a run across but the Highlanders’
defense stepped up and derailed the rally. Tiger third baseman Chris
Thompson reached on a one-out infield single. Center fielder Cole Anderson
doubled, advancing Thompson to third. Stuart Drew then hit a fly ball to
Gordon center fielder Kelly Williams. Thompson tagged at third and Williams
fired a rocket from center to catcher Landon Anderson, who tagged out
Thompson.
Things went quietly in the eighth and the Highlanders’ half of the ninth.
Once again, the Tigers had an opportunity to score and, in the process, win
the series in the bottom of the innings. Gaines singled to start the ninth.
He moved to second on a bunt then stole third with two outs. However, a
strikeout by Cole Anderson ended the inning.
Since entering the game in relief of Bishop, Hula had done an excellent job
of keeping a potent Highlanders offense at bay. In the top of the tenth, his
luck ran out. Hula made a mistake to Raffield, who didn’t waste the
opportunity. He lifted a fly ball down the right field line that floated
over the fence for a solo home run and a one-run lead. Hula settled down and
struck out the next two Gordon hitters to end the inning. But the damage was
done, and SGC went into the bottom of the tenth down 5-4. As was the case
two innings prior, the Tigers had an opportunity to get back in the game.
Stuart Drew started things off with an infield single. The first base umpire
awarded Drew second after Drew and first baseman Eric Esquilin collided on
the throw. David Reid-Foley popped out to left field, leaving Drew on
second. With Andrew Anderson at the plate, Drew stole third to move within
90 feet of tying the game. Anderson hit a grounder to shortstop Andy Almonte.
Drew broke for home on the play but Almonte’s throw was on the money and
Drew was tagged out. Tiger fans watched painfully as Josh Palmer, who was up
next, laced a two-out single to left field, advancing Anderson to second.
The hit gave Logan Gaines another chance to win the game. The last time
Gaines found himself in this situation, he drove a walk-off double to
centerfield in game three of SGC’s series against Middle Georgia. This time,
though, things went a little differently. Gaines struck out swinging, ending
the game and the Tigers’ season.
The Highlanders will face the Middle Georgia College Warriors Saturday in
Cochran for the conference championship. The Warriors, who are the defending
state champions, defeated Georgia Perimeter in three games this past
weekend.
The Tigers finished the season with a 40-21 overall record (14-7 in
conference). Stuart Drew was SGC’s top hitter with a .406 batting average.
Andrew Anderson led the team in home runs (10) and was second in RBI (54).
Gaines, who hit eight home runs of his own, drove in a team-high 55 RBI.
Frank Ambrosino was the workhorse of the pitching staff, throwing 92 1/3
innings. He ended the year with a 7-3 record and a 4.68 ERA. O’Neal, who
tossed 46 2/3 innings, posted a 4-1 record with a 3.28 ERA.
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About South Georgia College
South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu)
was founded in 1906 and is a two-year institution in the University System
of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's environment gives
students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close
collaboration with faculty.
