PENSACOLA, Fla. — West Florida defeated Georgia Southwestern State University in a 9-3 victory at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Tuesday.

GSW was first on the board with one run scored in the top of the second. 

In the fourth inning, West Florida scored four runs to take the lead. Trent Kelly walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A single by Jake Cooper moved Kelly to third, setting up Gann Nobles for an RBI single that tied the game. Andrew Walton reached on a throwing error, allowing Cooper to score. Zack Stokes then doubled, bringing in Nobles and Walton to push the lead to 4-1.

West Florida extended its lead in the fifth inning with two more runs. Gustavo Mendez singled, and after advancing to third, he scored alongside Cooper on a double by Nobles, making it 6-1.

Georgia Southwestern closed the gap to 6-3 in the sixth inning with two runs, but West Florida responded in the seventh. Kelly singled, stole second, and scored on a bunt by Cooper, making it 7-3. 

In the eighth inning, the Argos added two insurance runs. Alex Urias and Stokes both walked and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Mendez singled up the middle, driving in Urias and Stokes for a commanding 9-3 lead.

Braden Rapp delivered a strong start for West Florida, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing three runs, striking out six batters, and issuing only one walk. Blake Thomas provided solid relief, pitching 1.2 innings and yielding just one hit with one strikeout. Micky Scheetz closed with 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and recording one strikeout.

The Argos will host the Hurricanes at Jim Spooner Field tomorrow at 3 p.m.