AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern baseball team scored six runs over the first two innings on Tuesday evening at Hurricane Stadium and held off Tuskegee University, 9-5, to run its non-conference record to 13-0 this spring.
GSW improved to 15-10 overall, while Tuskegee fell to 3-15.
The Hurricanes wasted no time snagging the lead and scored four runs in the first inning. Alex Kranick doubled down the left field line to plate Zach Barron. Dakota Long followed with a single on the next play to score Kranick. Brett Burgess added a RBI double to plate Long and eventually scored on a fielding error.
Kranick showed why he was ranked fourth in doubles in the latest NCAA Division II stat report by belting his second two-bagger of the game in the second inning to score Evan Alderman. Kranick crossed the plate two batters later on Burgess' infield single.
Tuskegee refused to pack it in. The Golden Tigers strung together four hits and took advantage of two walks in the third inning to push across four runs and cut the Hurricanes lead to 6-4.
GSW capitalized on a walk and an error in the fourth inning to add a pair of insurance runs. Davey King collected a RBI on a sacrifice fly and Josh Logan ripped a single up the midde to score Long.
The Hurricanes wrapped up their scoring with a run in the seventh inning when Clay Patrick scored from third after Tuskegee unsuccessfully tried to throw out Alderman on a stolen base attempt at second base.
Tuskegee rounded out the scoring with a run in the eighth.
Alderman, ranked seventh in the country in walks, added to his total with two free passes on Tuesday. Kranick finished 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, a walk and three runs scored. Burgess had two hits and two RBIs. Long had a pair of hits.
Jalen Luter and Ricky Green had three hits apiece to lead Tuskegee.
GSW starting pitcher Dylan Brown (2-0) shook off his third-inning struggles and earned the win after throwing six innings, allowing seven hits, walking three and striking out seven. Jared Crum needed only 13 pitches to cover the seventh inning. Kyle Spinks threw in the eighth and Chad Adkins handled the ninth.
Tuskegee starter Joseph Mauldin (1-4) was tagged with the loss after allowing the Hurricanes to score six runs in his two innings on the hill. Mauldin walked four and struck out two. Eugene Mabota was charged with two unearned runs during his four innings of work. Desmond Jones allowed a run in the seventh and Stanley Smith threw a scoreless eighth.
Southwestern travels to UNC Pembroke on Saturday to resume Peach Belt Conference play with the weekend series opener at 1 p.m.
