FLORENCE, Ala. — UWF baseball (5-8, 1-2 GSC) dropped a doubleheader to close the three-game series at North Alabama Monday. The Argos fell to the Lions (8-5, 2-1 GSC) 4-2 in Game 1 and 12-5 in Game 2. It will be a quick turnaround for UWF, as the team travels back to Pensacola for non-conference action vs. Miles tomorrow at 6:00 p.m and Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The games against the Golden Bears will be the first of seven straight at home for UWF.
GAME 1: UNA 4, UWF 2
UWF took an early lead in Game 1, building a 1-0 advantage after one frame. Nick Kerkmann picked up the RBI for the Argos in the first, scoring Nic Strasser on a base knock vs. Lions starter Shane Priest (2-1).
The Lions were quick to strike back though, getting to UWF starter Kirk Maddox for three runs in the second. From there, both offenses stagnated. The Lions were able to post a single tally vs. reliever Avery Geyer in the fifth, and the Argos got an RBI double from Brandon Harmon that scored Trevor Payne in the seventh. But the Argos could get no closer.
Priest twirled seven innings of six-hit, two-run ball to earn his second win. He struck out 10 while walking three. Channing Wall earned his third save for the Lions with scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
Maddox (1-2) suffered the loss. He surrendered five hits and three runs (zero earned) over 1.2 innings. He walked two and struck out one. Anthony Mazzurco, Chase Evans and Jared Gonzalez combined for five innings of scoreless relief after Maddox and Geyer.
Kerkmann, Harmon, and Payne all finished with two hits for the Argos. The RBI was Kerkmann's fourth over the last three games. The game was the seventh straight reaching base at least once for Payne. It was also the seventh consecutive in which Harmon has reached at least once.
GAME 2 (7 INNINGS): UNA 12, UWF 5
Whitt Davis (1-2) got the start for the Argos in Game 2 and was driven from the game in the first inning. He was credited with all four first-inning runs (four earned) that the Lions racked up to take an early lead.
Jared Middleton entered the contest in relief and pitched 3.1 innings, giving up four runs (one earned) on six hits. He struck out four.
Trailing 5-1 in the fourth, the Argos got an RBI double from Kerkmann and an RBI single from Bryant Harris Jr. to cut the Lion lead to 5-3. In the bottom of the fifth though, UNA responded with seven runs vs. Middleton and Alex Knight. The Lions did the damage on six hits and five Argo errors. All the runs scored in the frame were unearned.
Robert Lopez blasted off for his first home run of the season in the fifth, and Joey Bend added a sacrifice fly RBI to score Strasser in the sixth, but UWF could not bridge the large margin. Strasser finished with three hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Lopez, Kerkmann and Matt Sullivan also posted multi-hit games. Payne reached three times, and, like Harmon, extended his streak of consecutive games reaching to eight.
Lane Wallace (3-1) picked up the win for the Lions. He went five innings, scattering nine hits and surrendering four runs (four earned). He struck out three and walked three. Four Lions finished with multi-hit games. TJ Lockett and Kyle Hubbuch combined for six of the team's 14 hits.
UWF returns home tomorrow to take on Miles College (5-8, 0-0 SIAC) at 6:00 p.m. For the latest information on the Argos, follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.
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