ATHENS, Ga--Senior Matt Cavender drove in a career-high four runs and freshman Mickey Westphal pitched six shutout innings to lead Georgia past Furman 11-4 Tuesday at Foley Field.
The Bulldogs (26-17) carried a 3-0 advantage into the sixth before a five-run outburst highlighted by a two-run triple by right fielder Chaz Lytle (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 3 SB) and a two-run home run by Cavender (2-for-4), his fifth of the year, put Georgia ahead 8-0 over the Paladins (18-25).
Westphal improved to 4-2, allowing just five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Furman starter Corey Etheridge dropped to 3-7, surrendering three runs on three hits in four innings.
The Paladins spoiled the shutout with two outs in the eighth when first baseman Dominic Frankey connected for a grand slam off Bulldog reliever Brandon Anglin. It was Frankey's seventh home run of the season.
Georgia answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of a wild pitch by Danny Rueckel, a base-loaded walk to Lee Mitchell and and then a sacrifice fly by Marshall Szabo (2-for-4) put the Bulldogs ahead 11-4.Furman's Rob Purvis, the fifth hurler of the evening, did a nice job in relief in that inning. Purvis inherited a bases loaded situation with nobody out. He struck out catcher Ned Yost and then the sacrifice fly by Szabo before getting Jon Armitage to fly out to end the inning.
Anglin pitched the seventh and eighth inning while senior Max Havel pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win for the Bulldogs.
Furman returns to Southern Conference action on Saturaday when it plays host to The Citadel. The first game of the double header is slated to start at 4:00 p.m.