MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University catcher Rand Bestermann hit two home runs and drove in five runs as the Bobcats captured the Milledgeville bracket of the Peach Belt Conference Baseball Tournament with an 11-5 victory over Columbus State University Sunday (May 5) afternoon at John Kurtz Field.
The No. 2 seeded Bobcats, who won all three games in the tournament, improved to 32-20 and will now advance to the Peach Belt Baseball Championship Series that begins Thursday (May 9). The best-of-three series will be hosted by the highest remaining seed. The Greenwood bracket which has been delayed by weather this weekend will conclude Monday (May 6). If top seed Lander University wins that bracket, they will host the series; however, if No. 4 Georgia Southwestern State University or No, 5 Flagler College wins, the Bobcats would host the series. Columbus State fell to 33-21.
For the second day in a row the Bobcats spotted Columbus State two runs in the top of the first before GCSU started its comeback. That rally started in the second inning. Mitch Cowan started the one-out rally with a single up the middle and moved to second on a Mason Poole safety. Bestermann connected on a 3-2 pitch from CSU starter Colton Joyner (5-4) and deposited it over the left field fence to give GCSU a 3-2 lead.
The Bobcats broke the game open an inning later as they scored six runs to open up a 9-2 lead. Brandon Bellflower started the inning with a single and moved to third on Evan Cowan's double to left-center field. Both would score on Mitch Cowan's single through the right side. Cam McNearney connected on a double to center field before both scored on Poole's single through the left side. GCSU closed out the scoring when Bestermann, who has hit all of his five home runs in the past seven games, drilled the first pitch he saw and put it over the wall in left field.
GCSU got its final two runs in the seventh on Mitch Cowan's single up the middle put the lead at 11-5.
Jacob Ryan (7-2) earned the win for the Bobcats with four strikeouts in six innings, while Lex Kenny notched his fifth save as he pitched three scoreless innings with three strikeouts in relief.
The Bobcats collected 15 hits with Mitch Cowan and Poole each tallying three, while Bellflower, Evan Cowan, and Bestermann had two apiece. Mitch Cowan also drove in four runs.