The South Georgia State College Hawks got home runs from Jesse Brown (2), Steven Tavares-Batista, and Tanner Langley as well as a solid pitching performance from starter Luke Smith in the Hawks’ 14-5 win over the Gordon State College Highlanders in Douglas on Thursday.
The Hawks have been on the wrong end on a lot of high scoring games this year. Thursday, they pulled off a big conference win and they did so in dominating fashion – winning via run rule in eight innings.
The Hawks scored at least one run in every inning. Brown hit solo home runs in the second and fifth innings. Langley hit a two-run shot in the third while Tavares-Batista hit a solo homer to right in the seventh.
Smith had a solid line against the Highlanders – he scattered eight hits over five innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out four and walking two. He threw 95 pitches. Three other Hawks (Dylan Huntley – 1IP, 1H, 1R, 2BB, 1K; Caleb Allen – 1IP, 2K; and Cooper Kiker – 1IP, 1H, 1K) also saw action.
Diego Gonzales was 4-4 with a run and two RBI. Langley was 3-5 with a triple, three runs, and two RBI. Brown and Brice Marchman had two hits. Braxton Brady, Trae Jones, and Gonzales all doubled.
The Hawks are 29-22 and have five regular season games left. They travel to Swainsboro Saturday for a doubleheader against East Georgia. They face Georgia Highlands in a Tuesday doubleheader at home then finish the season Thursday in Cuthbert at Andrew College.
SGSC is 11-12 in conference play and sits in second place. The Hawks hold a 1.5 game lead over third-place East Georgia.
