West Georgia Tech and Gordon State split doubleheader

WEST GEORGIA TECH SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER WITH GORDON STATE SATURDAY, 1-3 AND 6-2

BARNESVILLE, Georgia – West Georgia Tech split a baseball doubleheader against Gordon State College in Barnesville Saturday, falling in game one 3-1 before taking the second game 6-2.

WGTC is 20-28 overall and 9-19 in the Region 17 standings. Gordon State finished the weekend 24-23 and 16-11.

With just one week remaining in the regular season West Georgia Tech finds itself in the thick of four-way race to earn the final two spots in the six-team Region 17 Tournament.

With games still to be played around the league at press time, when the weekend concludes the Golden Knights will be within a couple of games of ABAC, Andrew and South Georgia, all fighting for their postseason lives with four games left to play.

West Georgia Tech out-hit the Highlanders 19-5 on the day and 32-10 over the weekend but Gordon made the most of their hits to pick up two-of-three.

The series ends in a 2-2 tie, as West Georgia Tech took the series opener on Tuesday, 5-2.

Gordon took game one 3-1 with a three-run sixth inning which erased a 1-0 deficit.

Kyle Peals pitched a solid six and 2/3 innings for the Golden Knights, allowing three runs on only one hit. He struck out eight and walked four.

Peals was in control and ahead 1-0 with two outs in the sixth inning. But he walked the bases loaded and then an error and a base hit scored three Gordon runs to give the Highlanders a 3-1 lead, which they would hold en route to the victory.

Offensively, West Georgia Tech scattered eight hits, led by Nic Vinson (2-for-4) and Matthew Pope (2-for-2) with two hits apiece.

The Golden Knights never trailed in the nightcap, winning 6-2 behind a strong pitching effort from Chris Irwin.

Irwin went the distance and allowed just two runs on three hits over seven innings. He struck out six and walked two.

West Georgia Tech broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the third to go in front 3-2. They added two more in the fourth and another in the sixth to close out the scoring.

Nic Vinson, Blake Butcher and Hudson Power all had multiple hits for the Golden Knights.

West Georgia Tech will conclude the regular season with a four-game series against East Georgia (11-31, 4-21) next Friday and Saturday. Both doubleheaders will be played in Douglasville.