MONTEVALLO, Ala. – No. 20 UWF Baseball (28-16, 18-8 GSC) dropped both games of a doubleheader to close the series at Montevallo (32-14, 18-8 GSC) on Saturday. The Argos led after six in Game 1 but could not hold on, falling 8-7. The Falcons took Game 2 by a final of 13-5.
"Just could not get it done on the mound today," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "Thought we did enough in first game offensively, just couldn't close the deal. Poor pitching in game two allowed for the big deficit. I know the players are disappointed, but we have to show strong character and bounce back next week."
Nick Kerkmann racked up RBIs in both games of the doubleheader and finished with seven RBIs in the series. Matthew Jones finished the day with five hits and five runs.
Game 1: Falcons 8, Argos 7
Dylan Mills-Derouen got the start for the Argos in Game 1. He went 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits and five runs (five earned). He struck out five and walked three.
The Argos got out to an early lead, with Matt Sullivan singling home Matthew Jones in the first. Trevor Payne and Jacob Silverstein picked up RBIs in the second to reclaim the lead at 3-1.
The Falcons tagged Mills-Derouen for three runs in the third to steal the lead at 4-3. Nick Kerkmann helped tie the game in the fifth with an RBI single to score Matthew Estrada before Jones scored on a Montevallo error to make it 5-4.
The Argos ran the lead to 7-5 in the sixth when Josh Pahlad entered in relief of Mills-Derouen. He stranded two Falcons to keep the lead intact. But in the seventh, Montevallo loaded the bases with none out against Pahlad before breaking through for two with Avery Geyer on the mound. In the eighth, the Falcons took their final lead. Chad Wagner launched a sacrifice fly to score Jason Cryar.
Jones and BJ Harmon each finished with two hits for the Argos. Geyer (2-1) suffered the loss, while Kale Latorre (3-1) picked up the win by firing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Game 2: Falcons 13, Argos 5
UWF once again got out to an early lead in Game 2, with Jones scoring on an error in the first. A UWF error in the bottom of the first created a window for the Falcon attack, which benefited from four walks by Argo starter Trace Penton with two outs to take a 2-1 lead.
Matt Sullivan and Kerkmann combined to drive in two in the third to bring the Argos back within one. But Montevallo rebounded by scoring twice in the fourth and seven times in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Penton and long relief man Kirk Maddox combined for four innings, surrendering six runs and five hits. None of the runs against them were earned. Whitt Davis and Matt Whetstone surrendered seven runs in relief (seven earned) before Chase Evans fired a scoreless seventh.
Jones scored three times in the game and racked up three hits. Joey Bend finished with two hits. Kerkmann drove in two. Penton (0-2) suffered the loss after going 1.2 innings. Alex Pondick (6-1) picked up the win after going 5.1 innings, scattering ten hits and allowing four runs (three earned).
UWF baseball will travel to Spring Hill (24-16, 15-1 SIAC) on Tuesday for the final non-conference game of the 2018 season. FIrst pitch in Mobile is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
For the latest information on the Argos, follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.
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