MILLEDGEVILLE, GA - Georgia College & State University's Matthew Mebane hit a two-run walk-off home run to left field to lift the Bobcats to a 6-4 win over Flagler College in the championship game of the 2024 Peach Belt Conference baseball tournament. The Bobcats trailed by three runs entering the bottom of the ninth, but come away with their fifth conference tournament title.

GCSU trailed 4-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth, having not figured out Flagler starter Cooper Smith (L, 8-5). Smith held the Bobcats to three singles through the first seven innings, retiring the side in order four times with seven strikeouts.

All of that changed in the eighth as GCSU's Cam McNearey doubled with one out, followed by a double from Mason Poole that made the score 4-1. Poole then scored two batters later on Gabriel Wuerth's RBI single.

Flagler still led 4-2 heading into the ninth but Cooper could not record an out as the Bobcats rallied. Braeden Smith led off with a single, followed by a single from Brendon Bellflower. Cooper tried to pick Smith off a third, but an errant throw allowed him to score and Bellflower to move to second, bringing Mebane to the plate with a 4-3 score.

The junior righty saw five pitches from Cooper and with a 3-2 count took the ball over the left field fence, starting the home plate celebration at John Kurtz Field.

Flagler broke open a scoreless game in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Matthew Burke and a two-run RBI double from Bryce Fitzgerald. The Saints would go up 4-0 in the top of the eighth on a solo home run from Jesse Sullivan.

Owen Thomas (W, 2-2) got the win after pitching the ninth for the Bobcats. GCSU starter Bradley Wilson went eight strong with seven hits and four runs allowed, walking two and striking out two.

GCSU earns the PBC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Tournament selections will be announced on Sunday evening at 10:30 pm with a live stream at ncaa.com.

All-Tournament Team
Seth Nelson, Columbus State
Colby Gordon, Georgia Southwestern
Jesse Sullivan, Flagler
Cooper Smith, Flagler
Matt Burke, Flagler
John Luke Glanton, GCSU
Brendon Bellflower, GCSU
Mitch Cowan, GCSU

Tournament MVP
Matthew Mebane, GCSU