POOLER - Georgia Southern battled back on the final nine holes to hold off Furman and Kennesaw State for the Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate championship, played at the Savannah Quarters Country Club. The Eagles overall shot 865, one stroke.

The title was decided on the final nine holes. All three teams at one point took a share of the lead, but in the end Georgia Southern led the entire field on the par 4s and 5s throughout the tournament to key its second win of the fall.

Francis Marion (888) and Armstrong Atlantic (895) finished in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Old Dominion (897), Troy (906), Davidson (914), Western Carolina (919), Jacksonville (920), Elon (923), Winthrop (926) and Samford (933) rounded out the field.

The Eagles' title came after carding a final round 295 while Furman and Kennesaw both shot a 3-over 291. In addition to Blondell, Spencer Fulford (217) finished sixth while Drew Lethem (218) tied for seventh.

"Obviously this was a great win. You only play 10-12 tournament a year, so getting a team win is a big deal, especially considering the way we won," said GSU coach Larry Mays. "We had a great first round, gave a few strokes back in the second round then Furman, Kennesaw (State) and us all traded the lead on the back nine. I think at one time we were down 7-8 strokes the last five holes but our guys did a great job stepping it up and getting the win.

"The win at Francis Marion was much different, we built such a big lead right from the beginning. Today there were hard conditions, the wind really started blowing. Our guys were under the gun and stepped up on the back nine, which is exactly the type of win we are going to need as the season goes along," stated Mays.

Georgia Southern sophomore Logan Blondell won the individual championship after a thrilling two-hole playoff against Furman's Anthony Aloi. Blondell held a one-stroke lead heading into 18, but Aloi got a par and Blondell bogeyed the hole to force a playoff.

Both players sank a tricky par putt on the first playoff hole (playing No. 18 again). They played No. 18 for a third consecutive time, this time Aloi hit his drive into the water while Blondell got on the green in two and carded a birdie for his first collegiate championship.

Blondell's championship marks the first individual title by an Eagle since Aron Price won three tournaments in 2005.

The Eagles will finish their fall season in two weeks competing at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C. on Oct. 24-26.