Dahlonega, GA - Twice the West Georgia Wolves have faced the North Georgia Saints this season and twice there has been a similar result, as the Saints upended the Wolves 10-9 at Bob Stein Stadium on the NGSU campus.
In both games, the Wolves held a lead against North Georgia and in both games, the Saints came back and won the game in the final inning. On Tuesday evening, it was a one-out, bases-loaded single that was the undoing for West Georgia.
The Wolves opened the game and could do little wrong, collecting five runs on six hits in the top of the first. In that inning, #
Stuart Drew# led off with a walk, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, followed by a walk to #
Andy Marinelli#. The pair moved to second and third with one out on a passed ball, then Drew came in on a single from cleanup hitter #
Justin Croft#.
Senior catcher #
David Buchanan# got in on the act with an RBI single, then he and Croft came home later in the inning on an RBI double from sophomore #
Michael Hollis#. The hit parade continued with a two-out RBI single from #
Nick Sperounis#, giving the Wolves a commanding 5-0 lead.
But that didn't stay long, as starting pitcher #
Jared Horowitz# gave up three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first as North Georgia worked their way back into the contest.
West Georgia responded to that with two more runs in the top of the second, with Marinelli as the catalyst. After Wright walked and stole second, Marinelli tripled, bringing home the sixth run of the game for UWG. Buchanan followed suit with his second straight RBI single, pushing the lead back out to four runs.
The Saints came back with five runs in the bottom of the third inning, taking an 8-7 lead in the contest. That lead held for three scoreless innings until the Wolves struck back in the top of the seventh.
Following an infield single from Hollis in that inning, shortstop #
Garrett May# came to the plate and promptly gave the Wolves a 9-8 lead with his seventh home run of the season.
North Georgia tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, then scored the game winner in the ninth to take the victory.
The Wolves fall to 18-27 on the season while North Georgia moves to 30-16. West Georgia concludes the home part of the 2011 schedule on Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. as Columbus State comes to town.
