Tigers split conference opener with Saints

Georgetown College baseball opened up Mid-South Conference play Saturday with a doubleheader against the Thomas More University. The Tigers (10-8, 1-1) came away with a split of day one, dropping game one 5-3 and responding with a 10-6 win in the nine-inning game.

It was early offense by the Saints (4-11, 1-1) jumped out with five in the first. With the help of a couple hits and walks, the Saints would push across 5 in the first inning against the visitors.

GC starter Bryan Torres settled in from there, allowing just one hit with five more strikeouts the next six innings.

Nick Giambalvo sparked the offense with a solo homerun in the third. Ryan Gaynor did the same in the sixth. The Tigers threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with one out. Randy Schab reached on a walk to score the final run of the game. The home team got Zach Noe to hit into a game-ending double play.

Game two was a different story for the Tigers. The visitor's offense put up five runs in the first five innings with big hits by JJ Duarte, David Rojas and Gaynor. They would break it open in the seventh when they doubled their run total. Giambalvo got it going with a no doubt homerun to right field. Schab and Gaynor added more RBIs as GC plated four more runs.

Isaac Olson got the start and gave the Tigers what they needed. He would go six and two-thirds innings scattering three hits for six runs with five strike outs. The Saints started to mount a comeback in the seventh but the deficit was just too big. Andrew Day came in to relieve Olson and threw one and a third innings. Keon Taylor closed it out to give the Tigers their first win in conference play.

Georgetown and Thomas More will finish the three game series with a noon start Sunday in Crestview Hills, Ky.