Late homer lifts Georgia Southwestern past Albany State

Hurricanes rally in 7th inning to edge Golden Rams 4-3 in close non-conference matchup

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:36am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements and competing forces of a college baseball game, with sharp planes of color and overlapping perspectives conveying the excitement and tension of the close contest.A cubist interpretation of the intense back-and-forth action and dramatic late-inning heroics that defined this close college baseball rivalry matchup.Albany Today

In a close non-conference baseball game, Georgia Southwestern University used a two-run home run in the 7th inning to defeat Albany State University 4-3. The game featured strong pitching performances and a back-and-forth battle, with the Hurricanes rallying late to edge the Golden Rams.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the competitive nature of the regional college baseball rivalry between Georgia Southwestern and Albany State, two programs looking to build momentum heading into their respective conference schedules. The tight final score and late-inning heroics made for an exciting matchup that could foreshadow future close contests between the two teams.

The details

Georgia Southwestern jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning on a pair of fly balls that fell just inside the right field line. Albany State responded in the bottom of the 2nd with a solo home run by Ty Grover to cut the deficit in half. The Golden Rams then took a 3-2 lead in the 3rd inning on an RBI triple by Luke Addison and a sacrifice fly by Grover. However, Georgia Southwestern's Evan Wainman hit a decisive two-run home run in the 7th inning to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 advantage that they would hold onto for the win.

  • In the 2nd inning, Georgia Southwestern scored twice to take a 2-0 lead.
  • In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Albany State's Ty Grover hit a solo home run to make it 2-1.
  • In the 3rd inning, Albany State took a 3-2 lead on an RBI triple and sacrifice fly.
  • In the 7th inning, Georgia Southwestern's Evan Wainman hit a two-run home run to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 lead.

The players

Ty Grover

An Albany State player who hit a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to drive in runs for the Golden Rams.

Luke Addison

An Albany State player who hit an RBI triple to give the Golden Rams a 3-2 lead.

Evan Wainman

A Georgia Southwestern player who hit the decisive two-run home run in the 7th inning to lift the Hurricanes to victory.

Scot Hemmings

The head coach of the Albany State baseball team.

Armando Nunez

The starting pitcher for Albany State who delivered a solid outing.

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What they’re saying

“It was a great game. That was a game that could have gone either way, and it went their way.”

— Scot Hemmings, Albany State Head Coach

“I saw a lot of good things today. Ty Grover just missed a three-run homer that the wind held up, and Luke Addison lined out in the sixth that would have scored two runs.”

— Scot Hemmings, Albany State Head Coach

“We held a very good offense to four runs. I was proud of the way we pitched the ball today.”

— Scot Hemmings, Albany State Head Coach

What’s next

Albany State will travel to Columbia, South Carolina this weekend for a conference series against Benedict College as they shift their focus to SIAC play.

The takeaway

This close non-conference matchup between regional rivals Georgia Southwestern and Albany State demonstrated the competitive nature of college baseball in the region, with the game coming down to a few key moments that decided the outcome. Both teams showed promise and will look to build on this experience as they continue their respective conference schedules.