Glanton gem gets Bobcat PBC bid going
May 3—John Luke Glanton showed why it's the pitching that soared Georgia College & State University past preseason expectations and into a host position for the Peach Belt Conference baseball postseason.
Glanton, a sophomore from Metter, went the distance Friday at John Kurtz Field as he and the No. 2 seeded Bobcats shut out Augusta University, No. 7 seed, 8-0 in the first game involving four of the PBC's teams in Milledgeville. Glanton raised his record to 9-4 on the season and did it just barely going over the century mark in number of pitches (101). The outing also involved two strikeouts, four hits allowed, no errors from the Bobcat defense and no bases on balls.
One Augusta Jaguar baserunner made it into scoring position, and that didn't occur until the ninth and final inning.
Outfielder Evan Cowan had three RBI at the plate on three hits. He also had the only extra-base hit out of 13 by Georgia College. Milledgeville senior Brandon Bellflower, also an outfielder, had three hits as well to go with one walk and two runs scored. Mitch Cowen, designated hitter and older brother to Evan, drove in two runs.
The win for the Bobcats put them in the 11 a.m. game Saturday at John Kurtz Field against either No. 6 North Georgia or No. 3 Columbus State. Elimination games are then scheduled for 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The Bobcat-Jaguar game was played under cloudy skies, and inclement weather is forecasted for the rest of the weekend.
The quarterfinal pod in Milledgeville is scheduled to conclude Sunday, the first game beginning at noon and an 'if' game at 4 p.m. The ultimate winner faces the team that comes out of the other quarterfinal pod hosted by No. 1 seed Lander in South Carolina.
In Friday's game, Georgia College managed a large run total even while leaving 12 runners on base over nine frames. In the bottom of the first inning, the hosts left the bases loaded without scoring.
The score changed, however, in the second inning, one where Augusta pitcher Will Cantrell accomplished the rare feat of four strikeouts. It's because he fanned four batters, though, that enabled the Bobcats to grab a 1-0 lead.
Gabriel Wuerth, Nolan Belcher's leadoff batter, was in an RBI situation with two outs and struck out. That third strike got away from the Augusta catcher enough for Wuerth to reach base and for Mitch Cowen, on base via a walk, to score.
Glanton had a stretch of 10 straight outs — three straight perfect innings — and protected the 1-0 lead through four complete. Augusta finally got another baserunner leading off the top of the fifth, but umpires later ruled interference for an inning-ending double play.
Georgia College added two runs in the home half from back-to-back singles by Bellflower and Matthew Mebane. Cam McNearney and Mason Poole got the RBI for the 3-0 lead, but the inning ended with the bases full.
Glanton continued to do his job, though, with three more perfect innings in a row.
His offense added one run in the home sixth. Wuerth and Bellflower both singled in front of Evan Cowan's flare hit to left with two outs. The younger Cowan delivered again, this time when the bags were full of Bobcats in the bottom of the eighth. There was only one out when he doubled in two. Mitch matched that total with a two-out two-run single
