Carrollton, GA – Heading into the second conference weekend of the year, the UWG baseball program has hit a stride, as the Wolves have won seven straight games. This weekend brings the first Gulf South Conference road series of the year, a three-game set against West Alabama, beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. in Livingston, Ala. The second game of the doubleheader will follow shortly after the first, and the final game in the series is Sunday at 1 p.m.
UWG at a Glance
The University of West Georgia is 14-4 on the year and 3-0 in conference play. Head Coach
Skip Fite's squad has been solid, especially from the mound over the past three weeks and the seven-game winning streak. The Wolves' streak has featured a conference series sweep and a pair of midweek wins over solid tradition competition. West Georgia swept Christian Brothers last weekend, marking the second straight season that UWG has started GSC play with a sweep.
West Alabama at a Glance
The Tigers are 8-11 on the year, but are also 3-0 in the conference after sweeping Union in a three-game series last weekend. UWA comes into the weekend having won four in a row after the Union sweep and a victory over Selma in a weekday game.
West Alabama Batters to Watch
As a team, West Alabama's hitters have yet to hit a stride, as the Tigers come into the weekend with a .248 batting average on the year. UWA is led by three players who are hitting at least .300 on the season, with 2012 First Team All-GSC performer D.J. Turo at the top with a .351 batting average. Second on the team is Jack Cockrum with a .341 batting average this season, followed by Mitch Holgat, who is hitting .300 and has shown patience at the plate with a team-leading 10 walks on the year.
UWG Batters to Watch
An All-GSC selection a year ago, #
Evan Hester# is making a case for a second-straight honor, as he and #
Dustin Brantley# are tied for the team lead with a .375 batting average. Hester has picked up 16 RBIs on the year as well as showing patience at the plate with 14 walks. #
Dylan Coleman# has hit well of late, raising his average up to .310 on the year. Coleman is one of four players who have at least 10 RBI on the year and is third on the team with 14. #
TJ Eifert# leads the team with 18 RBI and #
Shaquille Jackson# is fourth with 13.
West Alabama Pitchers to Watch
UWA's ace this year has been Taylor Bratt. Bratt is 3-1 on the year with a 1.84 ERA. Opponents are only hitting .200 against him this year with a team-leading 29.1 innings of work. Another player that will likely be on the mound this weekend will be Nick Bolette. Opponents have seen more success against him than Bratt, but Bolette has picked up 29 strikeouts in 24 innings of work. Bolette also shows pretty good command with his pitches only walking seven batters thus far and he started the seven-inning game last weekend against Union. The third starter to likely see the mound is 2012 All-GSC performer Barry Meeks, who has 25.2 innings pitched this season with a 4.56 ERA.
UWG Pitchers to Watch
UWA should expect to see #
Jamie Sexton# on the mound to start one of the three games this weekend. Sexton is 3-1 this year with a 1.36 ERA. Sexton has pitched the most innings of any of the starters this year (39) and has also given up the least amount of earned runs (7). Another ace in the Wolves rotation this year has been #
Chase Riemer# who is 4-1 on the year and has picked up 34 strikeouts through 33 innings. Opponents are hitting .225 against both Riemer and Sexton.
The third starter for the Wolves will likely be #
Randall Wright#, who has moved into a starter's role in his last two appearances. The senior is 3-0 with a 4.50 ERA and is 14 appearances away from the school record for all-time appearances.
A key component to the Wolves bullpen this year has been #Max Aeschilmann#. Aeschilmann has a 0.71 ERA this year in eight appearances and has a 15-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio and has two saves. #
Alex Allen# has also worked in a closer's role and has two saves on the year. He picked up his first career save last year at West Alabmaa.
Last Year
The Wolves won three of the four games played against the Tigers last year. West Georgia took 2-of-3 from UWA in LIvingston last season and then won again over the Tigers in the first round of the 2012 Gulf South Conference tournament. However, since 2006, West Alabama has owned the series winning 18 of the 23 games.
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