AMERICUS, Ga. - The University of West Georgia Baseball team picked up a big non-conference road win on Tuesday night, defeating the Georgia Southwestern Hurricanes, 10-5.

After struggling in the field last weekend against Delta State, UWG (17-17, 9-9 GSC) committed zero errors while recording 13 hits at the plate to beat a Georgia Southwestern (25-10, 9-6 PBC) team that came into the game 17-2 at home.

"I was extremely pleased with how our guys played tonight," said head coach Jeff Smith. "We mixed up the lineup a little bit, some guys got an opportunity to start today and they did an outstanding job. Everything starts on the mound and Garrett Moody gave us some good innings along with Carson Crossley and Brady Simpson."

Moody got the start for West Georgia and got through the first inning unscathed before the Hurricanes struck first in the second.

Georgia Southwestern loaded up the bases on Moody, with two outs in the inning, before Jake Blinstrub singled up the middle, giving GSW a 1-0 lead. 

The Wolves responded in the next frame as a bunt single from Cooper Prince, a base hit from Luke Hatcher, and a walk drawn by Jared Emory loaded up the bases for Michael Rich. Rich recorded an infield single, scoring Prince to tie the game at one.

In the bottom half for the third, Georgia Southwestern retook the lead after an RBI-single from George Davis, giving the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead as the game progressed to the fourth.

Back-to-back walks from Mason Cooper and Cade Hohl and an error from GSW put UWG in business in their half of the fourth. A wild pitch scored Hohl before Jack Witmer drove in Cooper, giving West Georgia their first lead of the game at 3-2. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Georgia Southwestern's Matthew Manuel led off the inning with a home run, tying the game at three. Moments later, the Hurricanes put runners on second and third with one out, forcing coach Smith to make a move to his bullpen. Smith called on Simpson to get out of the jam and he did just that as the lefty retired the next two batters to hold the score at three a piece.

Simpson retired the GSW side in order in the fifth before the Wolves offense put him in line for the win in the top of the sixth.

Prince began the inning with a double and later scored after an RBI-single from Witmer, giving UWG a 4-3 lead. Later in the inning Hatcher drove in Witmer to extend the lead to 5-3. Two batters later, Rich drove in Hatcher moments before Cooper broke the game open with a two-run double. West Georgia wasn't done in the inning as Beau Brand recorded an RBI-single to put the Wolves up 9-3.

Georgia Southwestern loaded up the bases in their half of the sixth. Coach Smith called on Crossley out of the pen to get out of the jam and he immediately got GSW's Brant Deerman to fly out to keep UWG's lead at six.

In the seventh, West Georgia added to their lead after Prince tripled, for his third hit of the game, and scored on a throwing error.

In the bottom of the seventh and the eighth, Crossley kept the Hurricanes' offense at bay  as the Wolves went into the final frame up 10-3.

Ronny Piepmeier got the ball to close things out and surrendered two runs but that's all GSW could muster up in the ninth as UWG took at 10-5 win back to Carrollton.

Prince led the way offensively with three hits while Rich and Hatcher both recorded two hits. On the mound, Simpson secured his first win of the season, pitching 2.1 innings while allowing no runs on just two hits.

"This was a good win over a top-25 team," coach Smith continued. "This gives us some momentum and confidence going into our series against Alabama Huntsville. I think our guys understand what's ahead of us."

West Georgia will return to GSC play this weekend when they open up a three-game series against Alabama Huntsville on Friday at 5:00 p.m.