ALBANY, Ga. – UWF baseball (18-9, 8-3 GSC) rallied from a first-inning deficit to blow past Albany State (9-11, 1-1 SIAC) and sweep the two-game series Wednesday at ASU. The Argos fell behind 3-0 in the first only to score the next 15 of the next 17 runs and win going away 15-5 in eight innings.
"Once again, quality at-bats by our team," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "Still seeing some things defensively, some miscues and some things that aren't showing up in the stats that we've still got to clean up. Sometimes it's tough to get them to stay locked in when you keep opening games up with leads, but it's something a mature team and a team with bigger goals has to understand."
The Argos have now posted at least 10 hits in 13 of the last 15 games. The runaway win, which was called due to the 10-run rule after eight innings, was the was the sixth in the last eight games in which the Argos have scored at least ten runs.
Jared Gonzalez (2-0) got the start for the Argos, his first of the 2018 season. Gonzalez was tagged for a pair of home runs in the first as part of a three-run inning for the Golden Rams. He settled down from there though, overcoming the rocky beginning to weave together four innings of five-run, five-hit ball. The senior retired seven in a row and nine of the ten during a particularly effective stretch from the second through the fourth.
"He made a couple of mistake pitches with the wind howling out," said Jeffcoat. "Then he settled down and held them in check for the next three innings while we could get our bats going. It was good that we answered with three runs in the top of the second to tie it back up and not let that deficit linger."
The offense quickly overcame the early deficit, getting the bats going vs. ASU starter Eden Payano. Jacob Silverstein got the scoring started with a 2-RBI single in the second as the Argos posted three runs in the frame to draw even. An RBI double by Matt Sullivan helped the Argos claim their first lead in the third.
In the fifth, UWF would take a commanding lead as Sullivan and Jones hit back-to-back solo homers as part of a five-run inning.
"He's adding to the depth of our lineup in the sixth-hole," said Jeffcoat of Jones, who now has eight hits over his last 13 at-bats. "It's been big for us to have guys deep in the lineup who can swing the bats."
UWF would tack on late runs on a two-RBI triple by Bryant Harris Jr. in the sixth, an RBI double by Mike Branche in the seventh and an RBI groundout by Harris in the eighth. Harris came off the bench late to lead UWF with three RBIs. Brandon Harmon, Joey Bend, Silverstein, Sullivan and Jones all finished the day with two RBIs.The Argos outhit the Golden Rams 17-6. Trevor Payne finished with two hits and four runs scored. Every spot in the order reached and eight of the nine spots finished with at least one run.
Jared Middleton took over for Gonzalez in the fifth and would allow just one hit over three innings. Chase Evans finished the game with a scoreless eighth. ASU starter Eden Payano (0-1) took the loss.
The Argos return home this weekend to host Alabama Huntsville (14-9, 8-4 GSC). First pitch in Saturday's doubleheader is slated for 2:00 p.m.
"From what we see stat-wise, we know it's going to be very competitive," said Jeffcoat of UAH. "Stat-wise, they're one of the top fielding teams, so they're going to catch what you hit to them. I think they're going to pitch it enough to keep us challenged. The good thing is we're going to be playing at home. We need to take advantage of playing at home at The Spoon."
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