CARROLLTON, Ga. – The University of West Georgia baseball team took the No. 6 squad in the country to the wire in the nightcap of Friday's Gulf South Conference doubleheader before coming up just short in the end.
The Wolves suffered a 13-11 setback to Lee in Game 2 at Cole Field, as the offense came to life following a 13-0 decision in Game 1. The series finale is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Game 2
The Wolves (10-12, 9-11 GSC) cranked out 11 runs on 15 hits in the nightcap and took the lead at 11-10 behind a four-run seventh inning, but the No. 6 Flames (20-2, 18-1) answered with three runs in the top of the eighth to stretch their win streak to nine in a row.
It proved to be a high-scoring affair in Game 2, as Lee jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind five hits in the third, including a two-run single by second baseman Colton Yeager and a three-run homer from center fielder Landon Silver.
West Georgia cut the deficit in half in the fourth, using a one-out double by senior catcher
Lane Griffith, a single from left fielder
Ethan Brant and an RBI bunt single by junior center fielder
Jason Fointno. Senior first baseman
Dan Oberst continued his hot hitting with a two-run single to make it a 6-3 affair.
After the teams traded runs, Lee stretched the lead to 10-4 on a three-run homer by third baseman Alan Smith in the sixth. The Wolves countered with three runs in the home half of the sixth on a solo blast by Brant and a two-run homer from sophomore second baseman
Brody Wortham to pull within 10-7.
The Wolves manufactured four runs in the seventh, as sophomore right fielder
John Michael McRae reached after getting hit by a pitch, followed by a single from freshman designated hitter
Jackson Webb and a sacrifice bunt by Griffith that plated two runs on a throwing error. Following another unearned run, junior shortstop
Cody Mish gave UWG the 11-10 lead with an RBI single.
The Flames had one last rally in them, however, using a bases-loaded triple from Yeager for the 13-11 margin.
Lee closer Andy Rivera tossed two perfect innings of relief to earn the save.
The UWG offense was powered by McRae (2-for-4, run, RBI), Griffith (2-for-4, 2B, 2 runs), Brant (2-for-5, HR, 2 runs, RBI), junior third baseman
Collin Moore (2-for-5, 3B, run), Wortham (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI) and Oberst (2-for-5, 2 RBI).
Game 1
The Flames featured a two-man wrecking crew offensively in the opener on Friday, as Smith and first baseman Ryan Beamish went a combined 6-for-9 with two doubles, four home runs and 12 RBI.
Beamish went deep on three occasions, putting the visitors ahead with a three-run shot in the first, followed by a solo homer in the sixth and another three-run dinger in the seventh to cap off the scoring.
Smith stroked a two-run double in the second and an RBI double in the fourth before connecting on a two-run homer in the sixth.
Lee hurler Logan Workman (4-0) kept the UWG bats at bay, tossing seven shutout frames, yielding four hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
UWG was led offensively by Wortham, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and a double. Oberst and Fointno accounted for the Wolves' other two base knocks.
