CARROLLTON, Ga. - West Georgia lost game one of the weekend series with the Tusculum Pioneers as they fell 9-8 in 11 innings on Friday night at Cole Field.
The Wolves (14-14, 7-10 GSC) got off to a blazing hot start, as they scored two runs in the bottom half of the first inning, after
Brody Wortham scored on a throwing error, and
Edgar Cruz hit an RBI double.
More of the same ensued for the Wolves in the second inning as they got two more runs. Both
Davis Schwartz and
Charlie Tull drew walks to begin the inning, and
Brody Wortham followed with an RBI single.
Sam Ladner hit a sac fly right after, putting the Wolves ahead 4-0 after just two innings.
In the third,
Logan Fink tacked on another run with an RBI double, scoring
Anthony Calabro.
Jonathan Hickman made the start in game one, and was unhittable through the first three innings.
In the fourth, however, the Pioneers (14-18, 4-11 SAC) finally broke through, scoring three runs in the top half, capped with a two run home run off the bat of Zane Keener. The Wolves were unable to answer in the bottom half, making the score 5-3 after four innings.
In the sixth, Tusculum found the scoreboard again, this time with a two run home run from Will Samuelson, tying the game at five a piece.
The Pioneers didn't go away as in the very next inning, they would chase Hickman from the game after three hits in a row, including two runs. Hickman would finish with 6.1 innings, giving up eight hits, seven runs, zero walks, and three strikeouts.
Jeff Smith would call on
Ezra Brown to limit the damage, and he would strike out the next two batters, keeping the deficit at 7-6.
Brown finished with an impressive 2.2 innings, allowing no hits, runs, or walks, and striking out five.
In the ninth, the Wolves tied the game thanks to a two out RBI double from
Logan Fink.
Cody Mish would strike out right after, sending us to extra innings.
Neither team could push a run across in the 10th, but in the 11th, the Pioneers broke through on a solo home run by Christian Ortega.
In the home half of the 11th, the Wolves would get the tying run to third, but could not get him across, ending the game.
The series will conclude with a double header on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1p.m. from Cole Field.
