PENSACOLA, Fla. – UWF baseball (23-10, 13-4 GSC) won the series vs. West Georgia (20-12, 9-9 GSC) in walkoff fashion Saturday afternoon. The Argos scored three times in the ninth to walk away with an 8-7 win. All three runs came across on two walks and a hit-by-pitch, each with the bases loaded.
"The key was getting the leadoff walk," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat of the team's improbable and unorthodox comeback in the final frame, which began with a walk to Matt Sullivan. "We put the hitters on mandatory, making them take a strike, forcing their pitchers to throw strikes. You're at home and you've got the fans behind, you've got to make them execute. Fortunately today, they didn't throw the strikes and we were able to grind those at-bats out and get the runs in."
Hunter Lucas got the start for the Argos and went four innings, surrendering four runs (four earned) on five hits. He lasted into the fifth before giving way to the bullpen. He threw 81 pitches, striking out three and walking two.
The Argos fell behind 2-0 in the first when the Wolves got to Lucas for three hits. The Argo bats quickly responded though, with Joey Bend tagging UWG starter Andres Fernandez for an RBI single in the bottom of the first. The Argos took advantage of three Wolves errors to tie the game 2-2 in the second.
UWF took its first lead in the fourth, scoring twice on RBI singles by Brandon Harmon and Nick Kerkmann. The lead didn't last long though, as Lucas found trouble in the fifth that relief man Chase Evans could not extinguish. The Wolves scored five times on six hits to go up 7-4.
Jared Middleton finished the fifth on the mound for UWF and spun 3.1 innings before giving way to Avery Geyer in the ninth. Middleton stabilized the pitching situation, allowing only one hit.
"Jared Middleton did a great job out of the pen relieving Evans," said Jeffcoat. "Going three and a third and not giving up any runs and just holding them right there kept letting us grind the at-bats."
The Argos got an RBI pinch hit single from Mike Branche in the eighth to cut the deficit to 7-5. In the ninth, the Argos loaded the bases against three different Wolves relief pitchers. A hit-by-pitch and a walk to Mason Dinesen and Jacob Silverstein respectively tied the game before Kerkmann drew a two-out, bases loaded walk to win it.
Dalton Reagin (1-2) suffered the loss, while Avery Geyer (1-0), who pitched a scoreless top of the 9th, picked up the win.
The win improved the No. 20 Argos to 16-3 at home this season. UWF will next travel to Cleveland, Tenn. to meet Lee April 7-8.
"Lee's going to be a tough opponent. Going on the road in this conference is always tough. I know they've got some good pitching. I know they've got some power in their lineup," said Jeffcoat. "That's what championships are made of: winning on the road."
First pitch in the series-opening doubleheader is 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT Saturday.
For the latest news on the Argos, follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.
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