Argos Score 26 Runs in Doubleheader Sweep Over West Georgia

April 22, 2012

UWF Improves to 31-13 Overall, 10-9 in GSC Play

Shortstop Blake Barber had seven RBIs in the first game of the series (Photo by Chris Nelson)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – After the first game of the series was halted due to rain on Saturday, the West Florida and West Georgia baseball teams resumed play on Sunday, and UWF swept the doubleheader with scores of 16-3 and 10-7. The Argonauts put on a show for the military in attendance for the Wounded Warrior Project game, pounding out eight extra-base hits and scoring 26 combined runs in the doubleheader sweep.

With the wins, the Argonauts improved to 31-13 overall and 10-9 in Gulf South Conference play. West Georgia fell to 21-19, 9-10 with the losses.

GAME 1: West Florida 16, West Georgia 3
The first two and a half innings of the first game of the series were played on Saturday, and UWF took a 3-1 lead before the rain delay pushed the game to Sunday. Two of those runs for UWF came home on a single by shortstop Blake Barber (LaGrange, Ga./Shelton State CC), marking the first two of seven RBIs for the junior in the first game of the series.

The game resumed with a runner on first and one out in the third, and the Argos turned that opportunity into three more runs, two of which came home on catcher Garrett Flynn’s (Davie, Fla./Sagemont Upper School) fourth home run of the year. The Argos added three more in the fourth, and a seven-run fifth broke the game wide open.

Barber finished the game 3-5 with a double, two runs and seven RBIs, the most RBIs for an Argonaut this year. UWF also received multi-hit games from third baseman Josh Huggins (Bay Minette, Ala./Faulkner State CC), second baseman Leo Lamarche (Miami, Fla./Wallace State CC-Dothan), left fielder Taye Larry (Panama City, Fla./Wallace State CC-Dothan) and designated hitter Billy O’Connor (West Palm Beach, Fla./Broward).

Junior Josh Tanski (Apopka, Fla./Pensacola State) picked up the win for the Argos to improve to 4-3. His appearance lasted five and one third innings, spanning two days, and he struck out six batters and allowed just three runs. Scott Laughlin (Tallahassee, FL/Tallahassee CC) and Ben Bridges (Cartersville, Ga./Nortwest Florida State) finished the final one and two thirds innings on the mound to complete the mercy rule win. West Georgia starter Seth McClure (2-3) was credited with the loss, allowing three runs in one and one third innings.

GAME 2: West Florida 10, West Georgia 7
Despite the final score, the second game started as a pitchers’ duel between UWF’s Drew Bryson (Cullman, Ala./Wallace State-Hanceville CC) and West Georgia’s Chase Riemer. Both teams were scoreless through three innings, but the Wolves broke through in the fourth with a three-run home run by catcher Evan Hester to break the scoreless tie.

The Argos didn’t score until the fifth, but they broke through with six runs to take a 6-3 lead. The six-run inning was highlighted by RBI hits by Dustin Saulmon (Panama City, Fla./Alabama Southern CC), O’Connor and Flynn.

With Jake Stephens now on the mound, the Argos kept the lead going into the seventh, but the Wolves put four on the board to go ahead 7-6. The Argos wasted little time in taking the lead back in the bottom of the seventh, as the tying run came in on a fielder’s choice and the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Flynn. UWF added two insurance runs in the eighth, as Huggins blasted a two-run shot into the trees in left field, his team-leading sixth home run of the year.

Reliever Jordan DeLorenzo (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park HS) picked up the win to improve to 6-2, and closer Bobby Parker (Tallahassee, Fla./Alabama Southern CC) pitched two scoreless innings to pick up his 13th save of the year. West Georgia reliever Max Aeschlimann (5-5) was credited with the loss.

The Argos will finish the regular season on the road at Valdosta State on April 28-29. The three-game series will start with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 28 at 1 p.m. ET. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.