The South Georgia State College Hawks moved to 4-2 in conference play and second in the standings after sweeping a double-header against the Gordon State College Highlanders at George Cook Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Hawks won game one 12-1 then took game two 5-2.
SGSC put up five in the first, one in the second, five again in the third, and one in the fourth while allowing just a single run – one in the third. Jesse Brown led the way for the SGSC offensively. He went 2-3 with two walks, two runs scored, and four RBI. CJ Chalk, Luke Boone, and Luke Flading had two hits for the Hawks.
Lefty Jared Webb started and earned the win for SGSC. He allowed just one hit and one earned run over three innings. Carson Ward picked up the save in four innings of work.
The Hawks followed a similar script in game two. They scored early, established a lead, and never gave it up. SGSC scored a pair of two-out runs in the first inning. With runners on first and third, Flading reached on an error that scored Brown and moved Boone to third. Then Boone stole home for the second run of the inning.
After allowing the Highlanders a run in the second to cut the lead to 2-1, the Hawks added two more in the third, again with two outs. With Brown on first, Flading singled then Alex Bairan doubled to left center, scoring both Brown and Flading. The inning ended with SGSC up 4-1.
In the fifth, Flading led off with a single to left. After Bairan grounded out, Chaz Encarnacion singled, moving Flading to third. A sacrifice fly by Logan Taylor scored Flading to give the Hawks a 5-1 lead. The Highlanders added a run in the top of the seventh but that’s as close as they would get. SGSC won the game and swept the double-header with a 5-2 win.
Chalk, Flading, and Bairan collected two hits while Bairan drove in two. Brown and Flading each scored two. Talon Daignault, normally the Hawks’ shortstop, picked up the win with an impressive five-inning outing. He gave up one earned run on two hits while striking out five and walking three. Kason Degrande and Boone threw an inning in relief.
SGSC is on Spring Break this week and the Hawks have a break from conference play. They face USC-Salkehatchie in a Tuesday double-header in Allendale then host the Thomas University JV squad Wednesday at George Cook Stadium.