Livingston, AL - Earl Weaver said that in baseball, momentum is all about the next day's starter. That phrase could not be more true about West Georgia's Gulf South Conference doubleheader with West Alabama Saturday afternoon. The Wolves lost game one 18-4 in seven innings, then turned around with a 2-1 victory in game two.
That win in game two was all about West Georgia senior starting pitcher #
Jarod Slaven#. After averaging just over two earned runs given up per game through his first five starts this year, Slaven went down with a pulled muscle against Alabama-Huntsville on March 6. He tried to come back the next week against Valdosta State, but wasn't ready, giving up seven runs in 3.2 innings against the Blazers.
He returned to the mound last weekend against Lambuth, going the distance in the seven-inning game, allowing a run on six hits. Against West Alabama on Saturday, he showed that he was back in form, going the distance again, allowing just one run on one hit for his third victory of the season.
The UWG offense gave Slaven all the support he would need in the first two innings, beginning with junior #
Andy Marinelli#"s eighth home run of the season in the top of the first.
In the second, senior catcher #
David Buchanan# led off the inning with a walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from #
Bradford Mattox#. Two batters later, senior third baseman #
Nick Sperounis# singled, bringing home Buchanan for what would be the winning run.
Slaven was on fire in the game, giving up the only hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth. After walking two batters, he gave up a run-scoring single. But that was the extent of the damage, as Slaven settled back down and kept the Tigers off the scoreboard for the remainder of the contest.
In the opener, #
Stuart Drew# went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Sperounis went 2-for-2 with a run scored, but it wasn't enough, as the Tigers pounded out 18 runs on 16 hits, taking advantage of four West Georgia errors en route to an 18-4 victory by run-rule.
The same two teams meet on Sunday afternoon for the rubber game of the series in Livingston. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. Fans can follow the live stats at the link under the calendar at www.uwgsports.com.
