Solid pitching lifts GSW past No. 29 West Florida, 5-2

Solid pitching lifts GSW past No. 29 West Florida, 5-2

By CHRIS WHITAKER
Americus Times-Recorder

AMERICUS — An error off a Shane Doyle grounder in the sixth scored two runs as Georgia Southwestern broke a 2-2 tie and went on to a 5-2 win Wednesday afternoon.

Bud Long was 4-for-5 with two RBI, and Brandon Reeder pitched 1.2 scoreless innings of middle relief to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Chris Carroll, who has made 18 relief appearances this season, started for the Hurricanes. He pitched 5.1 innings before allowing West Florida’s two runs in the sixth inning. He scattered five hits, struck out two and walked three.

GSW (22-14) led 2-0 after the second inning after Byron Haynes and Long RBI-singles.

The Argonauts (30-14) tied the game in the sixth behind a Zach Cates sacrifice fly and Tyler Hastings RBI-single up the middle.

The Hurricanes answered right back in the bottom half of the frame. Trent Dooley and Chris Carroll had back-to-back singles before Paschal Poston moved them over with a sacrifice bunt.

West Florida intentionally walked Haynes, and after Heath Lock fouled out, the Argonauts couldn’t field the grounder by Doyle as it rolled into right field. Long finished out the scoring with a RBI-single to left field.

The number of men stranded were less on Wednesday compared to Tuesday. The teams left 15 on base Wednesday and 28 on Tuesday.

West Florida had one baserunner the rest of the game after tying the contest in the sixth.

Corey Hawes picked up his first save of the season, working the last two innings and inducing three fly balls and two grounders.

GSW is back in action Friday when it hosts Columbus State in the first of a three-game series. The Cougars are 31-8 on the season and 9-6 in the Peach Belt; they are third in the West with a 5-4 record.

First pitch is 6 p.m.