The Red and Black

Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Sports

Freshman pitcher Cecil Tanner started Wednesday's 16-8 loss and pitched 2.1 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: PHOTOS BY KELLY WEGEL Junior first baseman Rich Poythress drove in two runs in Wednesday's 16-8 loss to Jacksonville State. Poythress boasts a team high 72 RBIs. [Click to enlarge]

The Georgia baseball team gave up 12 runs in the last two innings to Jacksonville State, losing 16-8 Wednesday night at Foley Field.

Georgia (33-12, 14-7 SEC) had revenge on its mind after the Gamecocks upset the Bulldogs on April 22 by a score of 9-7, but gave up its first ninth-inning lead of the season, falling to Jacksonville for the second time in eight days.

With an 8-6 lead in the eighth inning Georgia head coach David Perno called in closer Dean Weaver to close out the game. But Weaver, who was nine-for-nine in saves this season, struggled mightily.

"We had the guy out there that we wanted," center fielder Matt Cerione said. "Weaver has bailed us out in a lot of games and he can't do it every time, but I still want the ball in his hands when it counts."

On Weaver's second pitch, Gamecock center fielder Daniel Adamson drove in his third run of the game with an RBI double down the right field line to cut the lead to 8-7.

In the ninth, Weaver walked the leadoff batter, then surrendered a double to put the winning run on second. JSU took a 9-8 lead when left fielder Todd Cunningham tripled. But for the Diamond Dogs, the nightmare just began.

Weaver allowed four runs and only retired one batter when he was lifted in favor of senior Jason Leaver, who didn't fare much better.

Leaver allowed five more runs, and failed to record a single out.

Perno brought in the third pitcher of the inning, Earl Daniels, after Leaver gave up a two-run single to make the score 14-8.

Daniels walked the first batter he faced then gave up a two-run single as JSU extended the lead 16-8 before finally retiring the side.

"When you have a one-run lead, you can't walk the leadoff hitter," Perno said, "We walked too many guys tonight."

Added Cerione: "We had them right where we wanted them. It's a tough pill to swallow."

The nine runs allowed in the ninth inning were the most given up by Georgia in a single inning all season.

It was also the first time the Diamond Dogs had the lead entering the ninth inning and lost.

"We got accustomed to the lead and we thought we were safe with the bullpen," Perno told georgiadogs.com. "We were in position to win and that makes it more frustrating. There is an urgency to win this weekend. We'll regroup and keep it in perspective.

"We're just worried about trying to win the league," Perno added. "That's the only way you're going to host [in the SEC Tournament]. We just have to move on from this because, like I told the players, it's not that big of a deal … We're still No. 1 in the conference."

Georgia got off to a quick start, as it sent 10 batters to the plate and scored four runs in the first, two courtesy a Rich Poythress double. He now has 72 RBIs on the season, which ranks fourth in a single season, and is only five shy of Gordon Beckham's school record of 77, set last season.

JSU answered with three runs in the third on a two-run double by Kyle Bluestein and a solo home run by Adamson to cut the lead to 4-3.

Georgia gave itself some much-needed assurance in the bottom of the fourth when it scored three runs, one on a bases-loaded walk and two on a single by left fielder Peter Verdin.

But Georgia relievers staff dropped the ball, as three pitchers, Michael Palazzone, Weaver and Leaver allowed a combined 12 runs in between the seventh and ninth innings.

Cerione went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored, Verdin added two hits and two RBIs, and freshman outfielder Johnathan Taylor scored twice.

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