Feb. 21, 2009 | Box Score

Three Georgia Pitchers Combine for Five-Hit Shutout in 14-0 Win

    Athens, Ga. -- Three Georgia pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout, and seven of the Bulldogs' 14 hits went for extra bases as Youngstown State fell 14-0 Saturday afternoon at Foley Field.
    Georgia starter Alex McRee, who picked up three wins over top-20 teams during the 2008 regular season and two in the NCAA Tournament, allowed four hits and struck out six in 5.2 innings to earn the victory.
    Reliever Will Harvil allowed one hit and struck out three in 1.1 innings, and Michael Palazzone did not allow a hit and struck out two in two frames.
    "The result was obviously not what we want, but our effort was a lot better today than yesterday," Penguins coach Rich Pasquale said. "We just went up against two or three Major League-caliber pitchers today."
    David Leon finished 2-for-3 to lead YSU. Rich Poythress hit a three-run homer in the first inning and scored three times for Georgia.
    The Penguins got a runner into scoring position in the top of the first when C.J. Morris singled and moved to second on Eric Hymel's sacrifice bunt. McRee responded to induce a ground out and pop out to end the inning.
    After Poythress' homer in the first made it 3-0 Georgia, Chase Davidson led off the second with a homer, and the Bulldogs added three runs in the third and another in the fourth to go up 8-0.
    YSU kept Georgia scoreless in the fifth and sixth, but the Bulldogs erupted for six runs on five hits in the seventh. Four of the five hits went for extra bases.
    Sophomore Matt Tucker was charged with the loss for YSU, allowing eight runs on seven hits in four innings.
    Poythress and McRee were both named preseason All-America selections by Baseball America. McRee was also rated the 26th-best college prospect in the country by the magazine.
    The Penguins turned three double plays in the contest, and  committed six fewer errors and walked five fewer batters than in Friday's season opener.
    The Penguins and Bulldogs will wrap up the three-game series Sunday at 2 p.m.