Due West, SC – The #28th ranked Flying Fleet continued their offensive explosion on Tuesday scoring 21 runs on 22 hits to defeat Georgia College and State 21-14 at Grier Field.

Georgia College got on the board in the top of the first on a two run single by Matt Pitts. Erskine came out of the gate on fire in the bottom half of the inning. The Fleet got RBI singles from Drew Willingham (Greenwood, SC, Greenwood HS) and Mo Seay (Anderson, SC, Wofford College) to take a 2-0 lead. Brandon Garrett (Woodruff, SC, Woodruff HS) would follow with a two run double and then Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, SC, Byrnes HS) would blast a two run home run to right field to put the Fleet up 6-2. Erskine would add to their lead in the second with a RBI double by Chas Anthony (Pickens, SC, Pickens High School), who would then score on a single from Bryan Fogle (Lexington, SC, Lexington High School) to take a commanding 8-2 lead. The Bobcats would cut the lead to 8-4 in the top of the third on a two run home run by Richard Pirkle. Georgia College would continue to chip away at the Fleet lead and in the top of the sixth they would get back to back doubles by Sean Harrell and Pirkle to tie the game at nine. Pirkle would later score on a single by Jason Veyna to give the Bobcats the lead.

Trailing 10-9 going into the bottom of the seventh, Matt Youngblood (Travelers Rest, SC, Blue Ridge CC) would lead off with a single and then advance to second on a sacrifice by Luke Danielewicz (Spartanburg, SC, Dorman High School). Anthony would then single to put the tying run at third with one out. Fogle would step up to the plate and lace a double to the right center field gap to give Erskine the 11-10 lead. Fogle would also blast a three run home run later in the inning to complete an 11 run inning for Erskine and give them a 20-10 lead and the Fleet would hold off a Bobcat rally and take a 21-14 victory.

Anthony had his second straight five hit game to lead the Fleet at the plate, while Garrett was 3-4 with two doubles and four RBI’s. Fogle finished the game 3-6 with a double, home run and five RBIs and Willingham was 3-6 with a home run and four runs driven in. William Buzhardt (Columbia, SC, Ben Lippen High School) (5-1) picked up the win allowing just two hits in 1.2 innings of relief work while Atlee Pearson (Duncan, SC, Byrnes HS) picked up his seventh save of the year.

Harrell led the Bobcats at the plate going 4-5 with a double and one RBI, while Pirkle was 2-5 with a double, home run and three runs batted in and Pitts added three hits and four RBI’s. Dillon Waters (0-1) took the loss allowing five runs on five hits in one-third of an inning of work.

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