March 22, 2008
PENSACOLA, Fla. - The West Florida Argonaut baseball team was going for the sweep in the weekend conference series against North Alabama. After winning two games on Friday, the Argos were trailing by just 5-4, going into the eighth inning in Saturday's series finale. However, the Lions scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning, and three more in the top of the ninth to salvage the final game of the series. The North Alabama win put both teams at 3-3 for conference play this season.
The scoring started in the top of the third inning, when North Alabama earned a base runner via a hit by pitch. After sacrificing the runner to second, and moving him to third base on a groundout, a two out single plated the first run of the game. West Florida starting pitcher Nick Presley pitched five innings, and nicely pitched around eight hits and two walks to only give up two runs. Presley struck out five batters and left the game with the scored tied at two.
North Alabama scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning on the strength of two singles and an Argo fielding error. However, the Argos answered in the bottom of the fifth inning with a majestic home run off the bat of Jon Reed. Jackson Woodard had doubled to start the inning and after two outs were recorded, Reed drilled a two out, two strike pitch high over the right field wall to tie the score at two.
North Alabama scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning on the strength of four singles, to take a 5-2 lead. West Florida answered back in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two out two run double off the bat off Greg Pron. Woodard had started the inning with a single, and then with two outs, Jon Reed walked prior to Pron's big hit. The two runs made the score 5-4, going into the final two innings.
Woodard and Pron combined for five hits for West Florida, while Scott Beckwith and Jimmy Boswell also had hits, and Reed had the two run homer for the Argos. West Florida added a run in the ninth inning when pinch hitter Gregg Burkel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Todd Stannard took the loss for the Argos, dropping to 2-1 on the season. West Florida is now 15-18 on the season, while North Alabama improved to 18-9 on the year.
The Argos play at home this week against North Georgia State University, in a non-conference match up, on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Tuesday's game begins at 3:00 pm at Pelican Park. Conference play continues next weekend, as the Argos travel to West Georgia. The three game series will be broadcast on stretch internet.