Georgia Southern Outlasts Baseball, 9-4

Sunday, March 24

Statesboro, Ga.

3:30 p.m.

Davidson College

8-14, 4-8

Georgia Southern

16-7, 8-1

Davidson

Georgia Southern

Andrew Barna hit his fourth home run of the season

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

3/24/2013 7:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Mark Brumbaugh

Box Score
Buy photos at DavidsonPhotos.com

STATESBORO, Ga. – Andrew Barna slugged his fifth home run of the season for Davidson, but Georgia Southern built on a first inning lead en route to a 9-4 victory in Southern Conference baseball action Sunday at JI Clements Stadium.

Barna finished the day 2-for-5 at the plate, hitting a two-run home run in the third inning. Catcher Daniel Gerow drove in the other two runs for Davidson (8-14, 4-8 SoCon), hitting an RBI-single in the second inning and an RBI-groundout in the sixth. Freshmen Sam Foy and Lee Miller also enjoyed multi-hit games, going 3-for-5 and 2-for-4, respectively.

Georgia Southern (16-7, 8-1 SoCon) took a lead it would not relinquish in the first inning on three consecutive two-out RBI-doubles hit by T.D. Davis (2-for-4), Robbie Dodds (2-for-5) and Arthur Owens (1-for-2), respectively. Third baseman Brent Pugh then led the second inning off with a home run to give the Eagles a 4-1 lead.

Barna's homer pulled the Wildcats within one in the third inning, but Georgia Southern scored runs in each of the final four innings to complete the series sweep. Left fielder Zac Lenns hit into an RBI-groundout with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, catcher Chase Griffin (2-for-5) hit a solo home run in the sixth, and then the Eagles scored an unearned run in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

RHP Justin Hess (3-2) earned the win after entering the game in the fifth inning and holding the 'Cats to just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings of work. RHP Josh Stevenson drew the start and pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs.

LHP Rob Bain (0-2) was tagged with the loss after pitching the first inning and facing the first two batters in the second. RHP Matt Saeta saw the most action for the Wildcats, throwing 3 2/3 innings and surrendering four runs, but just one earned, with five strikeouts.

The 'Cats, in the midst of eight-straight games on the road, will next play at Winthrop Tuesday with first-pitch set for 6 p.m.