Sophomore lefthander Andy Threatt pitched five solid innings and got ample support from hitters-and a save by Mother Nature-as Georgia Perimeter College defeated Abraham Baldwin College 10-0 Tuesday at GPC's Newton Campus.
An unexpected thunderstorm ended the game in the eighth inning as the visitors were in the midst of a five-run rally. After conferring, the coaches, Georgia Perimeter's Stewart Bailey and Abraham Baldwin's Steve Janousek, agreed that the final score reverts back to the last completed inning, a ruling that will have to be ratified by the league office.
Georgia Perimeter, ranked sixth in the NJCAA coaches poll, improves to 21-6, 3-2 in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association. ABAC drops to 13-13, 1-4.
Threatt (2-2) earned the win, allowing three hits, walking two, striking out five and nailing a runner at first base with his quick pick-off move. Ethan Conway (2-3) took the loss for ABAC.
"It was good for Andy to get some mound time," Bailey said.
"Hopefully, this will get him going." Because of an injury, Threatt hadn't pitched since Feb. 28.
At the plate GPC knocked out 13 hits before the rain came. Wes Armstrong led the way with three hits in four trips, including two doubles.
He drove two runs, boosting to his nationally-ranked RBI total to 31.
"We got some great two-out hitting and some great situational hitting, and that's what we're looking for," Bailey said.
Also collecting two RBIs were McLendon Hill, Antonio Allen and Christopher Madera.
Allen was two-for-four with an RBI triple; Christian Van Camp (two-for-three) hit a triple.
David Van Horne and Madera added doubles.
Trumon Jefferson went two-for-three and McLendon Hill two for four.
The Jaguars grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning, beginning Armstrong's double to the wall. Van Horne doubled him in and then came around to score on a base hit by McLendon Hill.
In the fourth inning, Van Camp drove a triple down the right field line and scored on a sacrifice fly by John Fidanza.
The Jags erupted for three runs in the fifth frame and four in the sixth, powered by a nine-hit binge.
Trey Hagey came off the bench to preserve the shutout in the top of the seventh, scooping up a hit in center field and throwing out a runner at the plate to end the inning.
It got reliever Nikolay Uherek out of a jam as he pitched scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing two hits and fanning two.
But against reliever Justin Guy in the eighth, the Stallions stampeded for five runs.
With two runners on base and two outs, they were reined in by lightning and a torrential downpour, ending the rally.
The Jaguars travel to Tifton Friday for a 6 p.m. game at ABAC.
The four-game series concludes with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.
Saturday's games will be audio broadcast online with a link under "Game Webcasts" at www.gpc.edu/athletic.
