ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – If you think life on the road is easy for a college baseball team, don't ask the guys from Gordon State after they endured two bus breakdowns on the way and from their doubleheader here against Central Alabama Community College.
But the good news is GSC swept both games from CACC – 7-3 and 9-4 – to take away some of the sting of the transportation issues that plagued the Highlanders on Thursday.
The first incident occurred just five miles from the CACC campus, but the Trojans' coaching staff made arrangements to get the GSC team to the ballpark.
Once the games began, GSC showed no side-affects from the delay and proceeded to take both games of the twin bill as the Highlanders scored a combined 16 runs on 16 hits.
Tied at 3-3 after four innings, GSC struck for two runs each in the fifth and sixth to secure the four-run victory.
In game one, Carson Renz (Dacula, Ga. / Mill Creek HS) and Cole Stanford (Ellerslie, Ga. / Harris Co. HS) each had two hits while Derek Wylie (Warner Robins, Ga. / Veterans HS) had a homer, three RBI, two runs and a walk for GSC.
Trey Felt (Lawrenceville, Ga. / Prince Avenue Christian) allowed just three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five in six innings of work, handing off to Preston Felt (Buford, Ga. / Flowery Branch HS) to finish off a perfect seventh inning.
Game two also belonged to GSC as the Highlanders – who left 17 runners on base – scored in every inning except the fifth to take the five-run win.
Blaze O'Saben (Warrenton, Va. / Fauquier HS), Brody Parkerson (Villa Rica, Ga. / Bremen HS), Ethan Scott (Augusta, Ga. / Aquinas HS) and Wylie each had two hits while Coleman Tanner (Waycross, Ga. / Ware Co. HS) had the other hit for the Highlanders, who took advantage of three CACC errors to assist the offense.
One of O'Saben's hit was a home run as the center fielder went 2-for-2 with three runs scored, an RBI and a walk.
Davis Swenson (Toccoa, Ga. / Stephens Co. HS) started and went four innings while allowing four earned runs on five hits, striking out seven and walk a pair.
Davis Smith (Social Circle, Ga. / Social Circle HS) worked two scoreless innings and Ramsey David (Dacula, Ga. / Buford HS) finished off the victory with a perfect seventh.
For the return trip home, GSC eventually made it to Auburn, Ala., where the team spent the night and chartered home the next morning due to more mechanical trouble with the team bus.
GSC is back on the diamond Saturday as CACC returns the trip to Barnesville for a 3 p.m. doubleheader.
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The Gordon State College Department of Athletics is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA). Gordon State College competes in NJCAA Division I in the sports of Women's Soccer (Fall), Men's Basketball (Fall/Spring), Softball (Spring) and Baseball (Spring). Gordon State College is located in Barnesville, Ga., approximately 60 miles south of Atlanta and 35 miles northwest of Macon. Gordon State College offers both two-year and four-year degree programs and believes that our Athletics program provides student-athletes with the opportunity to be successful academically, athletically and in life after their time as a Highlander. Follow GSC Athletics at www.gscathletics.com, on Facebook (@GordonStateCollege #GSCHighlandersForward), on Twitter (@GordonState) and Instagram (gordon_state).