COLUMBUS, Ga. – A ninth-inning rally to tie the game at Columbus State Tuesday night wasn't enough as the No. 26 West Florida baseball team lost 6-5 on a walk-off sacrifice fly.
 
The Argonauts (11-6) got a strong start from Brandon Nagem (Pensacola, Fla./Northwest Florida State), but the southpaw couldn't complete the effort as the Cougars' (10-7) offense added runs in the eighth and the ninth for the win.
 
"We got a good solid seven innings out of Brandon Nagem," UWF coach Mike Jeffcoat said. "We just couldn't muster a hit when we needed one. The offense was just silent. We made a great comeback there in the top of the ninth to tie it, but unfortunately we couldn't hold the lead."
 
The Argos scored one in the top of the second, but CSU responded with a two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning to lead 2-1. That was the extent of the damage until the eighth when the Cougars added three insurance runs.
 
They would need it, as the Argos rallied to score four in the top of the ninth to tie the game 5-5. But CSU responded with a walk-off sacrifice fly.
 
Nagem went seven innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on eight hits with seven strikeouts. Josh McLaney was credited with the loss in relief.
 
"We've got to find a way to see if we can bounce back and get a victory here on the road," Jeffcoat said.
 
The Argos will conclude the two-game series Wednesday, March 4, at 2 p.m. ET.
 
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.