CARROLLTON, Ga. – The University of West Georgia baseball team celebrated Senior Day by slugging its way to a Gulf South Conference series sweep and ride a wave of momentum into the postseason.
The Wolves, who locked up the No. 7 spot for the GSC Tournament on Saturday, completed the three-game sweep of Christian Brothers on Sunday in a 15-8 decision at Cole Field, busting out 15 hits and three home runs to ring in the month of May on a high note.
West Georgia (18-21, 17-19 GSC) will next turn its attention to an opening-round matchup with No. 2 West Florida, but head coach
Jeff Smith wanted to make sure his players enjoyed the Senior Day send-off for the quartet of
Dan Oberst,
Justin Johnson,
Sawyer Steele and
Lane Griffith, first and foremost, on Sunday afternoon.
"It was a good day. Anytime you can sweep a series in the GSC it's a good weekend. I was happy for our seniors to go out on a winning note and prepare ourselves for conference tournament play," Smith said.
After taking control of each game in Saturday's sweep, the Wolves had to overcome their first deficit of the weekend in Game 3. The Bucs (5-33, 3-32) plated a pair of runs in the top of the second before Johnson, starting at second base on Senior Day, drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half.
CBU designated hitter Luke Wewers connected on a two-out, solo shot in the third to push the lead back to two for the visitors, but UWG took the lead for good in the home half, registering an RBI double by Griffith and a three-run homer from junior third baseman
Collin Moore for the 5-3 advantage.
The Bucs got a run back in the fourth before UWG countered with five runs in the fifth, using a two-run single from junior first baseman
Joseph Hill, an RBI double by sophomore right fielder
John Michael McRae and capping off the frame with Johnson's second RBI of the day on a run-scoring single.
The two teams swapped a pair of runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run blast from Webb for his fourth hit of the day.
The Wolves capped off the day with three runs in the seventh and a home run from Wortham to wrap up the Sunday celebration.
Fittingly, Steele earned the win in relief on Senior Day, tossing 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Offensively, Webb (4-for-5, HR, 4 runs, 2 RBI), Hill (2-for-3, SB, 2 runs, RBI), Wortham (2-for-4, BB, HR, 3 runs, RBI), Moore (2-for-4, BB, 2B, HR, run, 3 RBI) and McRae (2-for-3, SB, 2B, 2 runs, RBI) all had multiple-hit efforts, while Johnson was 1-for-2 with two walks, a stolen base, a run scored and two RBI.
"Collin swung the bat well.
Jackson Webb is coming back from injury and swinging the bat hot. My concern has never been about our hitting. It's how we're going to pitch. If we pitch well in the tournament, we've got a shot to have ourselves a good, little run," Smith said.
Looking ahead to the upcoming week, Smith is confident about his team's chances to make some noise in Oxford, Alabama, among the heavyweights of the Gulf South. UWG squares off against second-seeded West Florida at 5 p.m. on Friday in the opening round.
The UWG skipper noted how the team is especially fired up to be back in the postseason atmosphere after not having the opportunity last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the season.
"They're definitely excited. The records go back to 0-0 and it's a new season," Smith said. "They're excited to be playing in the conference tournament and excited about playing West Florida."
