ODU Panthers Take Down Top-Ranked Georgia College, 11-3

Release courtesy of Scott Miles, ODU Sports Information Director

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Behind seven dominant innings from Alex Borgan (Pickerington, Ohio) and a balanced offensive attack, Ohio Dominican's baseball team shut down No. 1 Georgia College 11-3 Tuesday for the program's first victory over a top-ranked team.

The Bobcats, ranked first in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Rankings and third by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, had won 14 straight games and reached the Division II World Series last season. GC (17-3) had been averaging 9.5 runs per game entering today and was a perfect 10-0 at home.

"We played really well and it was a total team effort," Paul Page, head coach, said. "As I told the guys after the game, we can't view this as the highlight of our season but rather as a starting point. We need to build from this. It's a great confidence builder for everyone and reassures the players that the hard work they have put in pays off and they have the chance to beat anybody."

Borgan picked up his first victory of the season, working seven innings of four-hit baseball, striking out six while allowing just one run. The six strikeouts matched a career-high for the sophomore right-hander, and the four hits are the fewest he has allowed in a start of at least six innings in his career.

"Alex was really special today," Page said. "He got ahead of hitters and his breaking ball was as good as we've ever seen it."

The Panthers (2-2) registered 16 hits, with six players recording multi-hit efforts at the dish. Junior Tyler Zaidel (Cincinnati, Ohio) matched a career-high with four RBI as he went 2-for-4 with a walk, while senior JT Feldkamp (Lorain, Ohio) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Senior Germaine McAlpine (Canton, Ohio) went 2-for-6 with a run, senior Felix Brown (Phillipsburg, St. Maarten) went 2-for-4 with three runs, junior Bobby Franks (Portage, Mich.) finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI and junior Austin Grate (Fort Wayne, Ind.) went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

After the Bobcats scored a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple, ODU roared back with four runs in the second. Brown had an RBI single, and Franks ripped a two-run double to left center. With two outs, junior Evan Shaw (Delaware, Ohio) singled to bring home Franks and make it 4-1.

ODU tacked on a run in the fourth on an infield single by sophomore Nick DiNello (Boardman, Ohio) that scored Grate to push the Panther lead to 5-1. In the fifth, the Panthers loaded the bases with two outs, and Zaidel delivered the big hit, a two-run single back up the middle to make it 7-1.

Borgan continued to roll through the Bobcat lineup, as he allowed just one base runner between the second and sixth innings. ODU put another run on the board in the top of the sixth as Feldkamp singled home McAlpine, and in the seventh, Zaidel came up with the bases loaded for a second time, and for a second time delivered a two-run basehit to put the Panthers on top 10-1. ODU tallied its final run in the eighth on Grate's RBI hit.

"We got some big hits and drove in runs in crucial situations," Page said. "We did a good job putting the ball in play, which we struggled with last week. This was definitely a step in the right direction for us."

The Panthers continue their spring swing through the Peach State as ODU takes on West Georgia at 4 p.m. Wednesday.