PENSACOLA, Fla. – No. 23 UWF baseball (27-11, 17-5 GSC) swept a Friday doubleheader vs. Auburn Montgomery (16-24, 5-18 GSC) at Jim Spooner Field, winning a thrilling opener 1-0 before running away with a 9-1 win in Game 2. The Argos scored all ten runs in the doubleheader with two outs. They outhit the Warhawks 20-6 in the two games.
"If I knew the formula for why we score so much with two outs, I would bottle that up," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "There's years you can't seem to find that - a hit with two outs and runners in scoring position… Obviously we did that today. Every run we got was with two outs, so credit to the players for continuing to grind."
The Argos will look to finish the series sweep tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
Game 1: Argos 1, Warhawks 0
Tony Kucera got the start for the Argos in Game 1 and turned in his most dominant outing of the season. He became just the second UWF hurler to go all nine this year, tossing a complete game, two-hit shutout to move to 5-2 on the season.
"He filled the zone up," said Jeffcoat. "He went to some deep counts early in the first few innings and worked out of it. Started forcing some bad contact, didn't have a high number of strikeouts, but he did exactly what we're supposed to do and that's fill the zone up, change speeds."
Kucera carried a no-hitter into seventh, where, with two outs, Matthew Zielonko broke up the no-no bid with a bunt base hit. Kucera finished with five strikeouts against just two walks. He threw a season-high 114 pitches to become the first Argo hurler to throw a nine-inning shutout this season.
His counterpart Garrett Deloney (2-4) put together an impressive pitching performance as well, firing eight innings of one-run ball only to suffer the loss. Joey Bend got to Deloney for a two-out single in the first and came in on an RBI double from Matt Sullivan to account for the only run of the game.
The Argos outhit the Warhawks 8-2. Each team committed one error. The shutout was the third overall this season for the UWF pitching staff. Nick Kerkmann was the only player with two hits in the game.
Game 2: Argos 9, Warhawks 1
Matthew Estrada, who reached twice in Game 1, carried his hot bat over to Game 2. His two-out, two-RBI single in the second vs. AUM starter Hank Scott gave the Argos a 2-0 lead. Estrada would finish with three hits and three RBIs.
"He's been coming on strong. He's got a great strike zone awareness," said Jeffcoat of Estrada. "Moved him from the two back up to the one [in Game 2] and ended up working out, made me look like a genius. But he's just a good ballplayer, wants to be on the sack, wants to create runs, wants to do whatever he can to help his team win."
Dylan Mills-Derouen started for the Argos in Game 2 and went 2.2 innings, striking out four but also walking a season-high five. He surrendered one run (one earned) before Josh Pahlad (4-0) entered in the third to strand the bases loaded and keep the home team up 2-1.
UWF exploded for seven runs on seven hits in the third to put the game out of reach. The Argos reached seven straight with two outs. Estrada, Kerkmann, Mike Branche, Mason Dinesen and Brandon Harmon all picked up RBIs in the big inning.
Trace Penton fired three scoreless innings, striking out four to finish the game for the Argos. UWF outhit AUM 12-4. Each team again committed one error. Scott (4-6) suffered the loss after lasting 2.2 innings and surrendering nine hits and eight runs (eight earned). Trevor Payne reached base four times in the game.
No. 23 UWF will close the series tomorrow vs. AUM with an 11:00 a.m. contest at Jim Spooner Field. Kirk Maddox (3-4, 4.47 ERA) is expected to start for the Argos.
"I hope Maddox comes out pounding the zone," said Jeffcoat. "Looking for him to bounceback from his start last weekend at Lee. He normally pitches pretty good at home, so we're hoping this weather holds off. We're going to start at 11 o'clock. It looks like we have a shot with it. We need to be ready to play regardless."
For the latest information on the Argos, follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.
#ARGOS#
