CARROLLTON, Ga. - West Georgia baseball was defeated 15-6 and 6-1 by Central Michigan today, resulting in the visitors taking a 3-1 series win.

With the Chippewas' (3-1) bats continuing to stay hot from yesterday, UWG (1-3) could not convert enough runs to keep pace with the CMU in game one, despite the Wolves tallying 13 hits. In game two, West Georgia was unable to capitalize on a pair of loaded bases situations, allowing the visitors' grand slam and solo home run to be the deciding factor in securing today's sweep.

"We've got to do a better job pitching. I mean, we had 13 walks or hit-by-pitches, so they had 13 freebies there just from the mound. And that's just not what we can do and expect to compete against anybody," said head coach Jeff Smith after the game. "There's a lot of things that we can learn from this opening weekend, and that's what you try to do. I ask the guys, are we going to win every game? No. But we need to learn from the reasons why we didn't win and not make the same mistake down the road. We got to reflect about this weekend and learn from it."

GAME ONE 
Carrying the momentum of yesterday's game two, CMU opened up today's matchup driving in three scores on a two-run double and an RBI single in the first inning.

During the second, a Chippewa single snuck through the left side, allowing a base runner to come home and extend the visitors' lead to 4-0.

The following inning saw CMU balloon its lead to 8-0 after scoring on a homer over centerfield, a fielder's choice that brought in a run and a double that allowed two more to score.

After struggling to get on base through the opening two innings, UWG got an offensive spark from a two-run homer courtesy of David Bell. Still in the third, Gabe Wuerth cracked an RBI single up the middle to dash the visitors' advantage to 8-3.

In the fifth, an overthrown pick off attempt to third allowed a Chippewa to take home. A single to center then drove two more Chippewas home to extend their lead to 11-3.

Following a scoreless sixth, Bell took home from third after the CMU first baseman whiffed on a rocketed hit by Fano Cruz. Still in the seventh, Andon Lewis cracked a double to left field to bring Cruz home, cutting the visitors' lead to 11-5.

CMU responded in the eighth with a three-run homer, extending its advantage to 14-5. During the bottom of the inning, Cruz answered by singling through the right side to bring a pair of Wolves home.

The Chippewas went on to win 15-6 after tallying another homer in the ninth inning. 

Evimael Quiles was tagged with the loss. In his two innings, he allowed four earned runs. 

Cruz recorded three hits, two RBIs and two runs. Wuerth also finished with three hits as well as a run.

GAME TWO 
Following a scoreless opening inning in game two, CMU crushed a grand slam in the second to jump out to a 4-0 lead. 

In the third, Central Michigan hit their fifth homer of the day to push its advantage to 5-0.

For the first time in the four-game series, neither team tallied a run over the next three frames.

The scoring drought finally broke when a CMU single snuck into left field, allowing a Chippewa to score in the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, UWG had a great chance to score after loading the bases with only one out, but the CMU pitcher would get out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts. 

Like with the seventh, West Georgia loaded the bases again in the eighth, but would again be held scoreless after CMU recorded a strikeout and a groundout to short.

After sitting throughout today's games, Blake Bradford crushed a solo home run in ninth, marking the Wolves' lone score.

UWG fell 6-1.

Wilson Donnelly was given the pitching loss in game two. In his five innings, he struck out four batters, walked two and allowed five runs. 

Lewis recorded three of the Pack's four hits in the second game.

The Wolves head 45 miles east to take on Kennesaw State University in their first midweek matchup next Tuesday. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

Looking forward to this matchup, Smith said, "It's going to be extremely tough. Just like all of our midweek games, we're going to be playing some highly talented teams that are going to have really good pitchers. You know, I think our team is going to be able to hit with anybody we play. It's just how are we going to be able to control our composure and be able to locate and command the baseball, and not give teams free opportunities because of walking or hitting batters." 

NOTABLE NUMBERS
-In Lex Kenny's 2.1 innings of game two, he allowed one run off three hits and struck out three batters. 
-Davis Williams struck out two batters and did not allow a hit in his lone inning of game two. In his two innings this weekend, he did not allow a hit and struck out four batters. Talking about both of their performances, Smith said, "Davis was lights out this weekend. I mean, he did extremely well. I thought Lex did an outstanding job coming in, getting two solid innings from him there." -Looking at the series' numbers, UWG was out-hit 47-37 and was outscored 42-24. West Georgia's pitchers recorded 42 strikeouts to the visitors 41. Both teams made three errors through the opening four games.
-In Josh Lanum's first career game as a Wolf, he struck out six batters, which was a UWG-high today.
-Luke Ridley led the team this weekend with seven strikeouts from yesterday's game.
-Lewis led the team with his seven hits off 15 at-bats, recording a team-best .467 batting average this weekend.
-Cruz led UWG with six RBIs and two homers from his five hits this weekend.