BOX SCORE: G1 | G2
 
PENSACOLA, Fla.  –  Gulf South Conference struggles continued for the University of West Florida baseball team with the Argonauts falling in both games on Saturday to Alabama Huntsville. The Chargers (10-11, 6-5 GSC) used a four-run first to eventually take a 6-1 game one win, before narrowly grabbing a 2-1 game two win over UWF (10-10, 5-6 GSC) in the nightcap.
 
"It's hard to play behind the eight ball like we've seemed to have done a lot this season. We could not muster anything offensively and you got to give their pitchers credit," said head coach Mike Jeffcoat.
 
Game 1: UAH 6, UWF 1
 
A first-inning error and four hits for UAH opened a can of worms for the Argonauts in the first, allowing four UAH runs to cross the plate in the early stages.
 
UWF responded with its only run of the game in the home half of the first with Brandon Harmon crossing the plate on a 6-4-3 double play.
 
UAH posted another pair of runs in the second. JT Granat was pulled after 1+ inning of work, allowing six runs with four being earned.
 
Trace Penton was a major bright spot in a disappointing contest for the Argos. After taking over for Granat with runners on first and second and no one out, Penton induced a double play and a 1-3 groundout on just three pitches to end the threat.
 
Between the fourth and eight innings, Penton posted a span of 13 consecutive batters faced without allowing a hit. Penton finished his outing with eight innings pitched, no runs, and only two hits allowed. He needed just 73 pitches over the course of his eight-inning outing.
 
"He (Penton) did unbelievable today," said Jeffcoat. "We couldn't ask anything more from a freshman and Trace really did a great job."
 
Penton lowered his season ERA to a team-best 1.02 with his performance. The Tate HS product has not allowed a run since his collegiate debut on Feb. 4 against Florida Southern and currently owns a streak of 15 consecutive innings without allowing a run.
 
Harmon and Ladeavon Matthews each went 2-for-4 to account for four of UWF's six hits.  
 
UAH starter Heath McRae earned the win, allowing just one run and five hits over 7.2 innings of work.
 
Game 2: UAH 2, UWF 1
 
Despite another quality outing from Jarrod Petree, UWF fell victim to a two-out, two-RBI single from UAH's Lance Cleveland in the fourth inning.
 
Petree turned in his second consecutive complete game, allowing two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Petree was dealt just his third loss in his three-year career with the Argonauts.
 
"I thought Petree did a great job, but we couldn't seem to find a way to get an out in that fourth inning. He pitched good enough for us to win but we couldn't put up any offense," said Jeffcoat.
 
Petree was dealt some tough luck in the fourth, with UAH recording three softly hit infield singles in the fourth inning before Cleveland's game-determining two-RBI single.
 
The Argos chipped away at UAH's lead with Trevor Payne scoring on a passed ball in the sixth but would later strand the potential game-tying run at second base after UAH starter Will Myers was able to record his third punchout of the day.
 
Myers finished his six-inning performance with no earned runs and just four hits allowed. He was later relieved by Taylor Clemens, who notched his fourth save of the season after retiring the Argos in order in the seventh.
 
The Argos and Chargers will wrap up the series tomorrow with a new start time of 2:00 p.m.