MOBILE, Ala.  – The No. 35 University of West Florida baseball team fell to Spring Hill College 5-1 in Mobile, Alabama Wednesday afternoon. The Argonauts (5-1, 0-0 GSC) suffer their first loss of the season while the Badgers improve their record to 2-3 (0-0 SIAC).
 
"It was a disappointing loss tonight," said head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "We didn't swing the bats well, had too many strikeouts and had one bad pitching inning in the sixth but that's baseball. We have to bounce back and get ready for conference play."
 
West Florida and Spring Hill were tied at one for most of the game, but a grand slam in the sixth inning by the Badgers gave them the lead. UWF failed to respond with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base throughout the game, including three during the ninth inning.
 
On the mound for West Florida was Reed Bright (Pelham, Ala./Snead State CC) who went five innings, gave up four hits, one earned run, and struck out three batters. Mike Flaherty (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Philips HS) was credited with the loss.
 
Nic Strasser (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips HS) went 2-for-4 at the plate, including a triple in the fourth inning, and scored the Argos lone run. Freshman Nick Kerkmann (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) also went 2-for-4 in the game to lead UWF.
 
West Florida will begin conference play this weekend when they host North Alabama for a three game series Feb. 14-15.
 
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.