Baseball Knocks Off #13 Florida in Extra Innings

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A bases loaded walk by freshman Cole Watson drove in the game-winning run as Georgia Southern defeated #13 Florida 8-7 in 12 innings. The win was the Eagles' third in the all-time series and the second in the last three years.

Kyle Rowe picked up the win for Georgia Southern (3-1) after throwing four innings in relief. Rowe (W, 1-0) worked around four walks and did not allow a run while striking out two. Evan Challenger made his first career start and was solid for 4.1 innings. Challenger allowed two runs on two hits.

Corey Stump took the loss for Florida (3-2) after giving up an unearned run on two hits. Stump (L, 0-2) faced eight batters over two innings. Justin Shafer allowed two earned runs on three hits in a four inning start.

T.D. Davis recorded three of the Eagles' 10 hits and scored three runs. Ben Morgan and Hunter Thomas added two hits each. Casey Turgeon was one of three Gator hitters with two hits and drove in three runs.

Georgia Southern jumped out to a 6-1 lead after scoring three runs in the top of the fifth. After tying the game with a run in the second inning, Hunter Thomas, who singled twice in the game, drove in two runs with a base hit to center field in the fourth inning.

Florida tied the contest at 6-6 in the bottom half of the fifth. The Gators scored five runs, including three on a home run by the pitcher Justin Shafer. After Josh Stevenson struck out Harrison Bader for the second out of the inning, five-straight Florida hitters recorded a hit.

Florida took a 7-6 lead after Bader grounded into a double play which allowed Josh Tobias to score from third base. The Gators opened the frame with back-to-back hits by Tobias and Cody Dent before the ground ball from Bader.

Davis tied the game at 7-7 with a ninth inning two-out single through the left side of the infield. Davis scored Morgan, who singled and stole second base before scoring the tying run, after sending his second of three hits past Tobias at third base.

Four-straight Eagles reached base to start the 12th inning, and Watson's bases loaded walk scored the winning run in Davis. Davis led off the frame with a single through the left side of the defense and an error allowed Arthur Owens to reach base on a sacrifice bunt. Thomas dropped a second-straight bunt, which remained fair after rolling to a stop down the third base line, to load the bases.

Georgia Southern returns home to host Big Ten Favorite Indiana. The Eagle's will open a three-game set against the Hoosiers on Friday at 6 p.m.

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics and twitter.com/GSAthletics, and its new "Eagles GATA" mobile app for Android and iOS.

Category: Baseball

Published on Wednesday, 20 February 2013 23:57