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CARROLLTON, Ga. - Arguably the biggest weekend of the season for the University of West Georgia Baseball team got off to an exceptional start as UWG defeated the Montevallo Falcons, 9-8, in game one of their three-game series on Friday night.
 
The Wolves offense fired on all cylinders in the contest as West Georgia (31-14, 17-11 GSC) accumulated nine runs on 14 hits, including Henry Daniels' go-ahead RBI-single in the eighth inning that propelled UWG over Montevallo (35-12, 19-9 GSC).
 
Montevallo wasted no time putting pressure on UWG, coming out of the gates with three straight base runners, including back-to-back singles to load the bases with no outs. Starter Jack Rasmussen finally settled into the game, getting a 6-4-3 double play and a pop out to end the inning, but Montevallo did secure one run in the inning. For the Wolves in the bottom half, Sam Lander led the inning off with a double, but a flyout and a double play ended the first, and the Falcons took their 1-0 lead into the second. 
 
In the second, Cooper Prince made it around to third on a single, stolen base, and a wild pitch, but the Wolves left the potential tying run stranded on third and still trailed 1-0 into the third. 
 
The third inning proved to be more fruitful to the Wolves than the second as UWG struck for eight in the inning. The Wolves used seven hits, all singles, and got RBI's from Henry Daniels, Anthony Calabro, Cooper Prince, Jared Emory, Jackson Webb, Jonathan Hickman, and Sam Ladner to take a commanding 8-1 lead into the fourth.  
 
Montevallo immediately answered with three of their own in the top of the fourth using three straight hits, the biggest blow being a two RBI from Jake Smallwood, to get right back into the ballgame. 
 
Both sides went quietly in the fifth, but Montevallo kept chipping away at the UWG lead, scoring three more times in the sixth and the Wolves now held a slim 8-7 lead in game one. 
 
After holding the Wolves scoreless once again, the Falcons looked poised to strike for another big inning after tying the game with an RBI on an infield single, and had the bases loaded with just one out in the inning. Ryan Whitener was called on in relief and shut down the threat, leaving the score tied headed to the stretch. 
 
Whitener continued to roll on the mound, and UWG came through in the bottom of the eighth to regain the lead. Ladner led the inning off with a double and came around to score one batter later on a single from Daniels. That one run is all the Wolves could push across, and we went to the ninth needing just three outs for the win. 
 
Whitener returned to the mound to finish the job and retired the Falcons in order to secure the game one victory. 
 
Ladner led the way offensively with three hits, while Daniels and Calabro picked two RBIs apiece.
 
West Georgia will conclude the three-game series and their regular season on Saturday with a double header against the Falcons that's set to begin at 1:00 p.m.