Tigers split day with Phoenix

Georgetown College baseball moved into a three-way tie for third halfway through the Mid-South Conference schedule. The No. 21 Tigers (30-10, 5-4) finished a three-game series with Cumberland University (23-17, 8-4) by splitting Saturday's games.

GC started with another dominate performance, 12-3. Then despite posting an early three-run lead, fell behind late in game two as CU avoided the sweep, 8-7.

Eric Thrower led the offense in game one, batting 1.000 for the game. He went 4-for-4 with five RBI and one run scored. Chris Gilbody, Ryan Gaynor, Nick Giambalvo, Val Stammler and Gabriel Figueroa added two hits each as the Tigers had 19 for the game. Gilbody added two RBI, while Giambalvo, Stammler, Joseph Wall and Shota Usuda each had one.

Drew Martinez picked up his sixth win, going six innings by scattering five hits with five strikeouts, one walk and one earned run. Kyle Fieger threw three innings of relief for a save. He gave up three hits with three strikeouts and two earned runs.

Georgetown led 4-0 after four innings, all the offense it needed, but added huge security in a five-run, four-high seventh inning.

Stammler's hot bat continued as his three-run home run seemed to start game two right. CU had its biggest inning of the weekend in the bottom of the second with five runs on three hits. The home team never trailed again.

The Tigers pulled within one, 5-4, in the top of the fourth, but the Phoenix responded to that with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and another run in the fifth.

Georgetown got three more in the sixth, highlighted by Stammler's two RBI triple. Unfortunately, stranded him there on a ground out from the next batter. GC went down one, two, three in its final at bat to end the weekend.

The Tigers host Shawnee State University for a three-game series on Senior Weekend Friday and Saturday. Friday's first pitch is set for 6 pm. Saturday, the senior ceremony will take place between games as will ceremonial first pitches from several of the 2019 NAIA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship Tigers and Coach Chris Briggs.