CLEVELAND, Miss. – Tony Kucera spun a nine-inning, seven-hit complete game, and UWF Baseball (31-18) earned a 6-3 victory over West Georgia (31-17) to open play at the GSC Tournament Sunday at Ferriss Field.
"Just a great game all the way around," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat. "Obviously I think the story of the game was Tony Kucera, giving us nine, complete game, filling the zone up. Gave our team a chance to win."
Kucera (7-3) was masterful, allowing just one run over the first eight innings. He totaled eight strikeouts while walking just two. He limited the Wolves to three runs (two earned) in his longest outing of the season. The lefty faced 37 total batters.
The Argo bats built him an early lead in the second, with Matt Sullivan doubling to begin the frame vs. Wolves starter Greyson McLeod. He would score on a squeeze bunt by Trevor Payne to put UWF up 1-0.
The Wolves got to Kucera for a single run in the top of the third, but the game would not stay even for long. A key two-out RBI double by Nick Kerkmann scored Nic Strasser and helped UWF steal the lead back at 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Argos would add four more runs in the sixth. Strasser started the frame with a leadoff double and would score on a bunt single by Matthew Estrada that was quickly followed by a UWG error. Matthew Jones picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly, Brandon Harmon brought in another run via squeeze, and Robert Lopez doubled home Sullivan to put UWF up 6-1.
McLeod (5-2) would take the loss for the Wolves after allowing six hits and two runs (two earned) in four innings. Ryan Parker allowed four runs in relief on the mound for UWG.
Estrada finished 3 for 4 with a run scored, and Kerkmann, Sullivan and Lopez also notched multi-hit games. UWF outhit UWG 11-7.
"Matt Estrada did what he's done all year," said Jeffcoat. "Batting in the two-hole, he's really put the barrel on the ball. I think he was on his first three times up with three straight base hits… He really got our team going."
It will be a quick turnaround for the Argos. UWF battles Lee tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Dylan Mills-Derouen is expected to get the start for West Florida.
"We've got to get up early, we've got to be ready to play," said Jeffcoat. "Lee is going to be another tough opponent. Everybody you play in this conference tournament is going to be tough. Everybody's seen each other several times, so it's just a matter of who executes, who pitches, who makes the routine plays you're supposed to make."
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