Box score

AUGUSTA, Ga. − Flagler College plated two runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure a 7-5 win over 19th-ranked (Collegiate Baseball Division II Top 30) North Georgia College & State University in a Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament quarterfinal Saturday afternoon at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

Flagler (29-22) advances and will take on Georgia Southwestern State University tomorrow (May 9) at 11 a.m. at Roberto Hernandez Stadium at Aiken, S.C., in the first semifinal. The winner will advance to the conference championship later that day at 6 p.m. North Georgia (34-17) will now wait and see if it will receive an at-large berth to next weekend's NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

Jose Rohena (Tampa, Fla./St. Petersburg College) led off the top of the ninth with a single to left field. Tyler Vanover (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Providence HS) came into run for Rohena and then took second base on Nate Fudala's (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin HS) single to right. Second-team All-Peach Belt selection Cale Owen (Clearwater, Fla./home school) bunted the runners up a base and North Georgia brought in their closer, Jacob Rickett. He walked Will Percy (Colorado Springs, Colo./St. Mary's HS) walked to load the bases. Zach Bove (Winter Haven, Fla./Central Florida CC) hit a ground ball, up the middle, that North Georgia shortstop Anders Oster made a diving play on and flipped to second baseman Andre Airich to putout Percy at second, but Airich's throw went wide of the bag at first base which allowed Fudala to score behind Vanover to give Flagler a 7-5 lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Chad Sage hit a leadoff double off Flagler reliever Johnny Gaines (Jacksonville, Fla./Hilsborough CC). He went on to strike out the next batter and then got the final two outs via fly outs.

Flagler jumped on Peach Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, Chris Rearick, for four runs in the first inning. The Saints sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame. Owen led off with a bunt single, stole second, and scored on Percy's hit to right. Rohena had a two-run single in the inning.

That would be it for Flagler until the seventh inning when Bove drove home a run with a single to put the Saints on top, 5-3.

North Georgia answered with a run in the bottom of the seventh and tied it in the eighth. Gaines hit Craig Brisson to lead off the inning and two batters later, Airich singled to right, but the ball scooted away from Fudala allowing Brisson to score and Airich advanced all the way to third. Gaines settled in and retired the next two batters and North Georgia stranded the go-ahead run at third.

Gaines (9-5) earned the win in relief as he tossed two innings, allowed two hits and an unearned run. Second-team All-Peach Belt pitcher Jonathan Armold (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest School) started and went five innings, scattered five hits and allowed one earned run. Heath Storey (Kennett, Mo./Jefferson College) held the lead in his two innings of work. He allowed one hit, a run and fanned three.

Percy, Rohena and Fudala all singled twice. Rohena and Bove each drove in two runs.

Alex Simmons (1-2) took the loss in relief. He tossed one and one-third innings, allowed two hits and one earned run. Rearick started and last seven innings, surrendered nine hits, five runs and struck out four batters.

Airich singled twice.

NOTES:

The win today was Flagler first post-season win since a 17-0 thrashing of Edward Waters College (May 8, 2003) in the NAIA Region XIV Tournament at Orangeburg, S.C.

Flagler went 1-2 vs. Georgia Southwestern this season in a series played at Americus.

The Saints batted .388 for the series and out-scored the Hurricanes 31-27.

Dagmar Pena led the team with a .615 batting average (8-13) with three doubles and five RBI.

Adam Jaudon pitched seven innings, allowed nine hits and three earned runs in a no decision.

Cale Owen is three assists away from breaking the school's single-season record of 170 held by Chris Barnwell (2001).


Flagler 7, North Georgia 5 (05/08/10 at Augusta, GA)
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Flagler............. 400 000 102 - 7 11 2 (29-22)
North Georgia....... 001 020 110 - 5 8 1 (34-17)
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Battery: Flagler - Jonathan Armold; Heath Storey(6); Johnny Gaines(8) and Payne Maddox. North Georgia - Chris Rearick; Alex Simmons(8); Jacob Rickett(9) and Daniel Petitti.
Win-Johnny Gaines(9-5) Loss-Alex Simmons(1-2) T-2:56 A-187
2B FCB – John Sgromolo.
2B NGCSU – Jordan Erisman; Chad Sage; Brad Hall; Troy Snitker.
Game notes:
Peach Belt Conference Tournament - Quarterfinal