Carrollton, Ga - The University of West Georgia baseball team took to the diamond at Cole Field for a single game Saturday afternoon to open the Gulf South Conference season. The Wolves came up short in a pitcher's duel, falling 2-1 to Alabama Huntsville.
The loss was the first for the Wolves against UAH since the 2012 season, as West Georgia swept both the season series and the lone game against the Chargers in the 2013 Gulf South Conference tournament.
Cody Skinner took the hill in the first of three games against UAH. Coming into the game, Skinner had a 1-1 record and led the team with a 3.86 ERA. He once again showed his outstanding abilities on the mound, as he pitched a solid six innings while surrendering two runs.
On most days a two-run lead into the sixth inning is enough for the Wolves. However, UAH starting pitcher Tyler Howell pitched lights out in his appearance this afternoon. Coming into the game, Howell was 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA, and is a tough lefty who has a lot of break on his pitches.
The first five innings of the game seemed to fly by as nearly every inning both teams were going down in order. UAH only tallied only three hits through the first five, and West Georgia was hitless, as the team struggled finding gaps to hit the ball into.
The Chargers reached the scoreboard first in the top of the sixth inning when their designated hitter, Brandon Lawing, reached first on a single to center field. Jud Sherrill then followed him up with a walk to make it runners on first and second. After a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third, the Chargers were able to score both runners and make it a 2-0 lead.
However, there was some positive news in the inning, as
Shaquille Jackson ended Howell's no-hitter in the bottom half of the sixth off a single to left field. UWG got one run back in the bottom of the seventh inning when
Sumner McWhorter got on with a lead-off single and advanced to second on a throwing error. McWhorter later came in to score to make the game 2-1.
Another highlight in the game from the pitching staff came from relief pitcher,
Cole Janousek. Janousek pitched the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings for UWG giving up no runs and only surrendering one hit. That marks four straight innings of shutout ball from Janousek since his tough outing to open the season at Montevallo.
The Wolves fell just short losing the game by a final score of 2-1 and move to 3-5 on the season. The team looks to rebound tomorrow in a doubleheader at Cole Field that begins at 1:00PM.
