CARROLLTON, Ga. - West Georgia baseball fell 17-11 to Stetson University on Saturday at Cole Field.
31 combined hits and two lead changes led to a back-and-forth four-hour boat race that saw UWG (11-32, 8-12 ASUN) run out of gas before rallying past the SU Hatters (17-25, 8-11 ASUN). SU leads the series 2-0 with the finale set to be played on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Carrying the momentum of Friday's ninth frame rally into today, SU opened game two, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after recording a pair of RBI singles and tallying a two-run RBI double in the first.
It didn't take long for the Wolves to recover. In the bottom of the first, catcher Mason Cooper cut the visitors' advantage to 4-2 with an RBI single through the middle. Still in the opening inning, outfielder Anthony Cole knotted the game at 4-4 with a 405-foot homer over the left field wall.
The following frame would see the visitors push back out to a 5-4 lead with an RBI single into left. In the bottom of the second, UWG leaped out to a 7-5 lead thanks to a three-run homer from Cooper.
Following a scoreless third frame, Stetson jumped back out in front of the Pack on an RBI single and a three-run homer, giving the visitors a 9-7 advantage.
The Wolves continued today's trend of following Stetson's scoring attacks with UWG runs during the bottom of the fourth. Thanks to a balk with a man in scoring position and a sacrifice fly from Cole, UWG knotted the game at 9-9.
SU responded with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly over the next two frames to establish an 11-9 advantage.
Today's boat race continued in the sixth with UWG cutting the SU lead to 11-10 on an RBI base hit from Patrick McCullough.
That one-lead didn't last long. In the top of the seventh, SU added to their tally with an RBI double to center and a score on a wild pitch with bases loaded, giving the visitors a 13-10 lead.
The eighth saw Stetson push its lead to 17-10 with four more runs. UWG responded in the bottom of the frame with a sacrifice fly by Cole to cut the lead to 17-11.
Wolves would fall 17-11.
Davis Williams was tagged with the loss. In 1.1 frames, he allowed two earned runs.
The teams return to Cole Field tomorrow to close out the series. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
-In four frames, starting pitcher
Lex Kenny struck out three batters and allowed nine earned runs.
-Cole has knocked a homer out of the park in both SU games. He now has eight home runs on the season.
-Recording a team-high four hits tonight, McCullough extended his reached base streak to 24 games.
-Cooper ended the night with five RBIs and two runs fueled by two hits.
-Cole finished with four RBIs and one run from one hit.
-UWG was outhit 19-12.
-UWG made four errors today, bringing their series total to 10.
