Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CARROLLTON, Ga. – Jack Rasmussen, take a bow.

The University of West Georgia freshman right-hander answered the bell in a major way during the nightcap of Saturday's twin bill against Gulf South Conference perennial power Alabama-Huntsville by delivering a gem, firing seven shutout frames for a 5-2 victory in the 2021 home-opening series at Cole Field.

In all, Rasmussen yielded just three hits with one walk and six punchouts to silence a potent Charger offense, setting up a 1 p.m. rubber game on Sunday with the series on the line.

Needless to say, UWG head coach Jeff Smith was proud to see his young hurler provide just what the Wolves needed in Game 2 after dropping a 16-5 decision in the series opener on Saturday.

"Jack came out and pitched to his strengths and did what he's capable of doing. He had command of the fastball on both sides of the plate, bit up and spinned his slider and used the change-up effectively to keep their hitters off-balance," Smith said.

In the nightcap, the Wolves (4-4, 4-4 GSC) drew first blood with an RBI double from senior catcher Lane Griffith in the second and tacked on three more runs in the home half of the third on an RBI base knock by junior outfielder Ethan Brant, an RBI fielder's choice from junior shortstop Cody Mish and Brant scoring on a wild pitch for the 4-0 lead.

And that's all Rasmussen would need, with Sawyer Steele coming in to shut the door by tossing two innings of relief, allowing two runs on three hits to earn the save.

"We still left 12 guys on base in the second game. We still had opportunities there to stretch the lead. But the thing is, our guys battled. After losing the first one the way we did, they grinded it out and we were able to get a split on the day," Smith said.

The Chargers (3-5, 3-5), who were picked No. 2 in the GSC Preseason Poll, were led offensively by shortstop Zach Duvall (2-for-4, 3B) and right fielder Garrett Bodine (2-for-4, 2B, run).

UWG sophomore second baseman Brody Wortham continued swinging a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored, while junior third baseman Collin Moore (2-for-2, run, 3 BB) also had a multiple-hit effort in the nightcap.

Game 1
The Wolves fell behind 6-1 in the opener, but rallied with a four-run third inning to pull within 6-5, manufacturing a run on an RBI groundout by sophomore outfielder John Michael McRae, which was followed by an RBI single from Moore and a two-run blast over the right-field fence off the bat of freshman catcher Jackson Webb.

UAH's Griffin Rivers got two of the runs back in the top of the fourth with a two-run shot of his own, and the visitors busted the game open in the late innings to pull away.

West Georgia got on the board first in the opening inning when senior first baseman Dan Oberst blasted a solo shot in his first at-bat of the 20201 season in the friendly confines of Cole Field.

Oberst (2-for-4, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI) and junior outfielder Jason Fointno (2-for-3) led the Wolves at the plate in the opener.

Game 3
The Wolves will go for the series victory on Sunday at 1 p.m. back at Cole Field.