GPC wins opening round game

COVINGTON, Ga. -- Georgia Perimeter College wanted to get its first victory of the Region 17 Junior College Tournament out of the way as quickly as possible.

Mission accomplished.

The top-seed Jaguars had two big innings at the plate and Antonio Allen pitched six innings of two-run ball Friday in an 11-3 first-round win over No. 6 seed East Georgia College.

The Jaguars, who by virtue of their regular season region championship already clinched a spot in next weekend's East Central District Tournament in Morristown, Tenn., will play the loser of No. 3 Middle Georgia-No. 4 South Georgia College at 3:30 p.m. in today's second round.

GPC (39-15) led 10-3 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when designated hitter Jamie McMillan launched a home run to right-center field that ended the game by the mercy rule.

"There's really no pressure on us, but we want to win it," GPC coach Danny Blue said. "The No. 1 seed ought to take care of the No. 6 seed. They played well."

The Jaguars had a 6-2 edge when they opened things up with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Facing East Georgia starter C.J. Lusted, a sophomore from Centennial High School in Roswell, GPC recorded six consecutive singles, including run-scoring hits from Kendall Lacey, Garritt Church and Scott Sarratt, to make it a 10-2 lead.

"They've got talent, if all of them get it together," Blue said. "We're going to have to hit and play defense."

Allen had a tough first inning, walking leadoff man Brian Dowell and allowing C.J. Lusted's one-out, RBI-single to give the underdog Bobcats an early 1-0 lead, but the freshman right-hander settled down after that.

The Jonesboro High alum retired nine consecutive batters before East Georgia had two singles in the fourth inning, but Allen wiggled out of trouble by coaxing a strikeout and a fielder's choice to end the frame. In his final inning of work, Allen walked Aaron Hoffer, and after a Tucker Darsey double, Chris Lusted lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to cut the Jaguars' cushion.

"He's doing a good job; we're getting a lot of mileage out of Antonio," Blue said. "I thought he did a great job. Pitching is simple. You throw strikes and don't walk anybody, you're going to be all right. Overall, I was real happy."

GPC got Allen all the support he would need in a long bottom of the first inning. The Jaguars batted around against C.J. Lusted, as five different players drove in runs.

Kenny Straus started the rally with a bloop single to score McLendon Hill and Felton James followed with a double to make it 2-1. Later, Kendall Lacey doubled in James, Garrit Church blooped a single to the opposite field and LeAndre Davis roped an RBI single to put GPC up 5-1.

"It was nice to get out of the chute like that," Blue said. "We really crushed it that first inning."

C.J. Lusted lasted 52/3 innings and surrendered 16 hits and 10 runs, though he did strike out eight in a 136-pitch effort.