PENSACOLA, Fla. – No. 9/10 UWF baseball split a doubleheader vs. the Shorter Hawks Saturday at Jim Spooner Field.
 
The Argos started the day with a 9-4 win behind another solid start from senior left-hander Tony Kucera. The team led late but ultimately dropped the second game 3-1. UWF (23-10, 14-3 GSC) and Shorter (17-14, 10-9 GSC) will close the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m.
 
Game 1: Argos 9, Hawks 4
 
Tony Kucera improved to 6-0 on the season by limiting the Hawks to just one earned run over seven innings. He scattered a half dozen hits while striking out one and walking none.
 
"Great first win," said UWF head coach Mike Jeffcoat of the opening victory. "Tony Kucera going seven innings, he battled and kept our team in it. We swung the bats well, gave up a few runs there late, but we didn't play very good defense in that game, and we've certainly got to clean up the defense."
 
The lefty received four runs of support over the first two innings. Trevor Payne picked up a pair of RBIs over the first three innings. After Shorter trimmed the Argo lead to 4-1 on an unearned run in the top of the fifth, the Argos responded with five straight runs in the bottom of the fifth and bottom of the sixth to put the game out of reach.
 
Matt Sullivan extended his hit streak to 20 straight games with an early double. He finished with three runs scored in Game 1 but failed to reach in Game 2, which snapped his 20-game hit streak as well as his run of reaching base in 26 straight games.
 
Payne finished with two RBIs and extended his run of reaching base to 26 consecutive games. He would reach on a walk in Game 2 to extend the streak to 27 straight.
 
Matthew Estrada also scored three runs. Adam Imwalle reached base four times and finished with a pair of RBI doubles. The Argos outhit the Hawks 9-7 and won despite committing four errors. The Hawks committed three errors.
 
Victor Santana (5-1) dropped his first decision of the season after allowing eight runs (five earned) in five-plus innings. Jason Gonzalez picked up a pair of RBIs.
 
Game 2: Hawks 3, Argos 1
 
The second game of the afternoon proved to be much tighter than the first. Andrew Vaccacio (3-1) held the Hawks scoreless over the first five innings but ultimately was credited with three runs with two outs in the sixth. The lefty struck out five but also issued five walks. The loss was the first of his UWF career.
 
Mike Farnell scored on a wild pitch in the fourth, but other than that, the Argos were unable to scratch much vs. a trio of Hawks hurlers. Kevin Ludden (2-0) earned the win in relief while Banks Woodley earned his first save of the season after retiring the side in the sixth and seventh.
 
"You've got to give Shorter credit first and foremost," said Jeffcoat. "Their pitchers did an outstanding job working out of situations, their defense played great, their pitchers made big pitches when they needed to."
 
Shorter starter Jonathan Pintaro got a no-decision after walking seven but allowing just three hits and one run in 4.2 innings.
 
UWF received 10 walks from Shorter pitching but struggled to cash in. The Argos stranded 14, including two aboard in the final inning. Each team finished with four hits.
 
UWF and Shorter will close the series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Tony Rossi (4-3) is expected to start for the Argonauts.
 
"Hopefully we can learn from it," said Jeffcoat. "You've got to come back out with renewed energy tomorrow and try to win the series."
 
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