MILLEDGEVILLE, GA. – Senior third baseman Rich Janofsky hit a pair of home runs and drove in three runs as third-ranked Georgia College & State University (28-6, 13-2 PBC) beat No. 27 Francis Marion University (21-13, 8-10 PBC) 4-2, Sunday afternoon (March 25) in the rubber game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference baseball series at John Kurtz Field.

Janofsky’s blasts contributed three of the team’s four runs.

Francis Marion struck first in the opening inning with a pair of doubles. The second, by catcher Michael Ward, scored Justin Greene for the 1-0 lead before the Bobcats could bat. The Patriots increased their margin to 2-0 in the fourth when Ward singled and stole second base. One out later, third baseman Taylor Norfleet laced an RBI single up the middle.

Janofsky answered in the bottom half, when he took reliever Cole McKellar’s second pitch off the scoreboard in left center, plating himself and Daniel Heflin, who walked, tying the game with one swing. Three innings later, Janofsky handed the Bobcats the lead with a solo shot 20 yards to the left of his first shot, missing the scorekeeping apparatus and finding the public basketball courts instead, for a 3-2 lead.

FMU had an excellent chance right away, as in the top of the eighth. GCSU reliever Matt Howard, who had been very effective over his two innings, walked and plunked the first two hitters. Faced with a second-and-first situation and no one out, junior closer Michael Newman entered.

He got the first out on a lazy pop up, but then walked the next batter to load up the bases with one out. Right fielder Nick Stewart ripped a ground ball up the middle that the Bobcat defense was able to turn for a double play.

GCSU’s Justin Mills singled with one out in the bottom of the eighth and then stole second, before Brandon Anderson provided an insurance run with an RBI single to right.

Howard (5-0) got the win in relief, going two shutout innings with one hit and two strikeouts. Newman got the final six outs for the save, fanning one. McKellar (3-3) took the loss in four innings of relief work, allowing three earned runs on four hits, striking out two.

FMU plays host to Newberry College on Wednesday at 7 p.m.