SATURDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
SUNDAY: LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO
CLEVELAND, Tenn. – UWF baseball (23-10, 13-4 GSC) is once again on the road, taking on Lee University (20-16, 12-6 GSC) in a three-game series scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. ET/ 3:00 p.m. CT Saturday. The Argos and Flames will close the series with a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.ET/12:00 p.m. CT Sunday.
UWF is coming off a thrilling series win vs. West Georgia last weekend at home. The Argos lost to the Wolves 3-2 in Game 1 before earning a doubleheader split with a 6-3 win in Game 2. UWF entered the series' final inning trailing 7-5 on Sunday but rallied for three runs to win in walkoff fashion to clinch the set.
SERIES SCHEDULING CHANGES
* Inclement weather has caused scheduling changes for UWF baseball's weekend series at Lee.
* The teams will now play a single game tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. ET to open the series and close the weekend with a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.
ARGOS ENTER NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BASEBALL TOP 25
* UWF baseball entered the Collegiate Baseball Top 25 poll for the first time this season. The Argos checked in at No. 23.
* Azusa Pacific (27-3) topped the national poll, and Delta State was the highest-ranked GSC team at No. 5. Florida Southern was the highest-ranked South Region team at No. 3 and Tampa followed closely at No. 4.
* The No. 23 ranking is the first time in the Collegiate Baseball Top 25 for UWF this season. The Argos were previously ranked No. 20 in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll two weeks ago but dropped out of the Top 25 this week.
ARGOS REMAIN IN SOUTH REGION TOP 10
* UWF baseball (23-10, 13-4 GSC) once again checked into this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II South Region Top 10, coming in at No. 6.
* The Argos are have won 18 out of their last 20 games. This is the fourth straight week in the Top 10 for West Florida. The team entered the poll tied for ninth with West Georgia, rose to No. 7 two weeks ago and came in at No. 4 last week.
* Tampa (25-5) came in at No. 1 for the second straight week with 80 points and eight first-place votes. Delta State (24-6) remained in second. Florida Southern (26-4-1) Nova Southeastern (20-9) is fourth, and Saint Leo (26-5) is fifth. West Florida, Montevallo, North Alabama, Mississippi College and Lee rounded out the regional Top 10.
ESTRADA WINS GSC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
* Argo baseball outfielder Matthew Estrada has been named the Gulf South Conference Freshman Player of the Week following a memorable performance over the weekend vs. West Georgia.
* Estrada finished with four hits, including one double, and scored five runs in three games vs. the Wolves. He also drew two walks. Estrada scored the third and final run of the ninth inning in the Argos' 8-7 walkoff win on Saturday. He is hitting .325 for the season and has six hits over his last four games.
* Estrada is an alum of Pensacola Catholic, where he enjoyed an outstanding career. He hit .396 as a senior with five home runs and 34 RBIs. Estrada also consistently appeared on the mound at Pensacola Catholic. He has continued his pitching career at UWF, making four appearances on the mound this season. He most recently took the hill vs. Southern Indiana March 7.
ARGOS SCORE SECOND WALKOFF WIN AT HOME
* 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."
* 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.
SCOUTING LEE
* Lee currently is currently tied for third place in the GSC, 1.5 games behind the second place Argos and 2.5 games behind conference leader Delta State. The Flames are 20-16 overall and 12-6 in the GSC. The Argos are 9-2 vs. Lee since 1991.
* Miguel Pimentel currently ranks tied for eighth in the GSC with 46 hits. Spencer Mossburg is seventh with eight home runs. Jordan Howard is ninth with a .632 slugging percentage. Fernando Ortiz leads the conference with 10 sacrifice bunts.
* Logan Workman is currently sixth in the conference with a 0.50 ERA. Wes Albert is currently ninth in the GSC with a 1.11 ERA. Jumpei Akanuma is fifth in the conference with 59.1 innings pitched.
For the latest news on the Argos, follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.
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