PENSACOLA, Fla. – Shorter scored three times in the 11th inning to defeat the UWF baseball team, 4-1, in the opening game of a 3-game series at Jim Spooner Field on Friday.
UWF (5-5, 3-1 Gulf South) got a very strong outing from starter
Josh Pahlad. The senior tied his career-high with nine strikeouts as he worked seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits.
Offensively, the Argonauts finished with five hits from five different players, four walks and a pair of hit batters.
Mark Townsend reached base three times on a hit and two free passes.
Shorter (10-3, 4-0) got a big game from Lyndon Weaver, who hit a pair of home runs with three RBI. Ethan Hawthorne (1-1) earned the win in relief and James Colyer earned his first save.
Both teams struck out 16 times.
"We got another quality start from
Josh Pahlad and some solid relief from
Chase Wilkerson and
Jacob Estes before they finally got to us," UWF head coach
Mike Jeffcoat said. "Offensively we were pretty anemic and you've got to give credit to Shorter. Their pitchers did an outstanding job and hopefully we can flip it over tomorrow."
The first six innings were a solid pitcher's duel with a combined five hits. Shorter got on the scoreboard ni the seventh when Weaver hit a solo home run to center field to break the scoreless deadlock.
The Argos answered with a run in the bottom half of the seventh.
Preston Moore got hit by a pitch and
Josh Prizina hit a full-count chopper over the third basemen's head. They loaded the bases following a
Trent Jeffcoat walk and the tying run came home on a 2-strike wild pitch.
The Hawks went ahead again in the 11th when Cory Mason hit a bouncer over the infield to score Jacob Pajer from third. Weaver then hit a 2-run home run to extend the margin to 4-1.
Estes (1-1) took the loss after working the final two innings and allowing the three runs in the 11th.
The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
