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PENSACOLA, Fla.- Due to the wintry weather that is sweeping the nation, UWF Baseball has to adjust, with the team now set to host Gulf South Conference opponent, Delta State, for a three-game weekend series at Jim Spooner Field.
With the series taking place on Sunday and Monday, Sunday's contest will be a double-header beginning at 1 p.m while the Monday contest will also start at 1 p.m.
UWF (4-2), will look to get back on track after dropping two of three at home against the Shorter Hawks. In the game one victory, starting pitching
Ryan Brewer was solid again, throwing six innings, allowing two runs on five hits, giving up no walks while striking out eight.
Josh Pahlad followed Brewer's performance with two innings of his one hit, allowing no runs on one hit, while striking out four to earn the save. West Florida also got a strong start from
Evan Floyd in game two, as the junior went six innings, allowing one run on two hits, with two walks and six strikeouts. Brewer and Floyd both have a 2.45 ERA heading into this weekend's series.
Offensively, the Argonauts got contributions up and down the line-up. The first baseman,
Cullan O'Shea, had seven hits on the weekend, including three in game one and three in three of the series. O'Shea also drove in six runs during the series, totaling nine for the season and placing him first on the team. Outfielder
Matthew Estrada bumped up his batting average to .333 after a seven-hit series, while
Jack Copley totaled five hits as well as the Argos scored 20 runs over the three contests. Red-shirt sophomore
Joey Wozniak blasted a pinch-hit three-run homer to end the game in walk-off fashion in game one.
Left Side, Strong Side: Through six games, shortstop
Miller Hancock and Copley, the third baseman, have batting averages over .400. Hancock was a stand-out in the Argos season-opening sweep of West Alabama, totaling seven hits, including two doubles, one triple, two walks and two stolen bases. Copley, a product of Phoenix City, Alabama, did most of his damage in game one against Shorter. The red-shirt junior went five-for-five from the plate with two RBI's and a double. Both players rank inside the top 25 in the GSC in batting average.
Brewer & Pahlad; A Friday Night Special: Two series opening games. Two wins. Two saves. The duo of Brewer and Pahlad have been especially dominant for UWF this season. Together, the pitchers have thrown 17 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on 13 hits, walking four while striking out 23. Brewer is tied for first in the GSC in wins, tied for sixth in innings pitched (11), and is eighth in strikeouts. Pahlad is third on the team with 10 strikeouts, while being second on the squad in opponents batting average (.190). The red-shirt junior from Kissimmee is tied for the league lead in saves with two.
Firepower On Offense: The Argonauts are at the top of the GSC in nearly every offensive category. Currently, UWF is second in team batting average (.313), second in runs scored (42), first in hits (66), third in RBI's (37), second in walks drawn (26), and third in on-base percentage (.398). Five different position players have started at least five games and have batting averages over .290 in
Dylan Menhennett, Estrada, Copley, O'Shea and Hancock.
Top Pitching Staff In the GSC: West Florida not only has a top offense, but they possess an even more dominant pitching staff. Four different pitchers have ERA's under 2.45 with Brewer, Floyd, Pahlad and
Brendon Case all under that mark. The four have contributed to a conference-low, 2.94 staff ERA. UWF also owns a league-best three saves. The pitching staff also has allowed the least amount of runs (19), third fewest walks (16), and second-lowest opposing batting average (.232) while throwing a league-high 52 innings. The staff also has the second most strikeouts in the league with 60.
Attendance Update: University of West Florida athletics is now increasing attendance to 25 percent capacity for all softball home games at Jim Spooner Field. Each game is first come, first serve to the general public. A set number of tickets will be held aside for Argonaut Athletic Club Booster members. AAC members can collect their tickets at the ticket window on gameday with their booster club card. Tickets are $7 for general admission, $5 for seniors, military members, and visiting students, and free for UWF students, UWF faculty and staff, and children under 6 years old. Gates will open 60 minutes prior to first pitch. Tailgating in the parking lot is not allowed, and, as a reminder, pets are not allowed. Concessions will be open on Saturday only for the doubleheader. Face coverings and at least six feet of social distancing will be required by spectators and staff at Jim Spooner Field. All other COVID-19 visitor compliance guidelines must be followed.
Scouting Delta State: DSU (1-2), is led by coach Rodney Batts who is in his second season with the program. The statesmen are coming off a three-game series loss at Shorter, taking the middle game of the three-game set. Kirkland Trahan leads the team with a .462 batting average, a 1.500 on-base plus slugging in three starts. Trahan's six hits are the most on the team as well, including two home runs which came in the same contest. Chad Ragland is second on the team with a .385 batting average, a year after leading the GSC in batting average at .449 before the season was shut down. On the mound, Hunter Riggins stars for Delta State, as the junior threw 11 strikeouts in six innings of work. His 1.50 ERA puts him sixth in the GSC.
Series History: All-time, the Argonauts are 23-22 against the Statesmen. In Pensacola, UWF is 16-10 against DSU, which includes a series sweep the last time the two teams met in February of 2020. Estrada had five hits and three RBI's in the series, while O'Shea delivered two RBI's in the series.
For the latest on the UWF Baseball Team, please visit GoArgos.com or follow the team on Twitter @UWF_Baseball.