Montevallo, AL - There were offensive fireworks in the opening game of the 2014 UWG baseball season, as the Wolves fell in the first game of a Saturday road doubleheader at Kermit A. Johnson Field in Montevallo, Ala., falling to the Montevallo Falcons 15-12. The Wolves fell in the nightcap as well, 14-8.
Two innings proved to be the difference in the game, as Falcons took advantage of UWG miscues in the first inning for a six-run outburst. Senior
Jamie Sexton got the start had a tough outing, giving up seven runs on eight hits, with six of those runs earned.
After West Georgia picked up 10 runs on seven hits in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, taking an 11-8 lead, Montevallo responded with seven runs combined in the seventh and eighth innings to put the game out of reach.
Newcomer
Troy Brown led the Wolves with a 2-for-3 afternoon, scoring three runs and drivinig in one. Outfielder
Neal Gandee and catcher
Galen Smith also went 2-for-3, with Gandee driving in two runs and Smith belting his first home run of the season.
Taylor Craft was stellar in relief, going four innings in middle relief, allowing four runs on four hits, walking one and striking out two.
In the second game, freshman
Colton Duttweiler took the hill for the Wolves and kept the nationally-ranked Falcons off-balance for six of his seven innings of work. The Wolves produced runs behind him, giving the rookie an 8-3 cushion over that period. But in the seventh, the Falcons got hot, running through Duttweiler and three other UWG pitchers to score 10 runs in the frame.
Freshman
JoJo Underwood was the star at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Two of his three RBI came in the first inning on a two-run single that was the icing on top of a five-run frame for West Georgia.
Andrew Witte was also solid, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
West Georgia and Montevallo will close out the weekend series on Sunday with a single game, beginning at 11 a.m. (EST), which is moved up from the previous start time of 1 p.m. The Wolves will have the 2014 home opener on Wednesday afternoon, taking on Miles at Cole Field with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
