AMERICUS - Georgia Southwestern came from two runs down to defeat West Georgia, 5-4, on Wednesday evening in non-conference baseball action at Hurricane Stadium.
GSW has won three of its last four games and improved to 8-17 this spring. West Georgia fell to 17-7 overall. The Hurricanes have fared well against UWG, controlling the series 8-1, since joining the NCAA in 2006-07.
Dalton Rogers put the Wolves ahead in the first inning with a two-out, two-run double to center.
The Hurricanes tied the game in the third. Brett Burgess belted a RBI double to left field that scored Dalton Watley who opened the frame with a single.
UWG regained the lead in the fifth inning when an errant exchange on the throw back to the mound after a pitch allowed Tyler Hutch to score from third.
GSW grabbed its first lead of the evening in the bottom half of the fifth. Paul Sorrow delivered a two-out, two-run single to left after Evan Alderman and Burgess opened the inning with back-to-back singles.
The Wolves tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh.
GSW quickly capitalized on back-to-back, one-out walks in the bottom of the seventh. Zach Barron delivered the game-winner, a two-out single to right field that scored Will Redding.
Burgess and Watley led the GSW offense with two hits apiece. Burgess scored twice.
Hutch led all batters with a 3-for-4 evening. He scored twice. Rogers and Artemis Kadkhodaian added two hits apiece for the Wolves.
Jordan McIlwain pitched the opening four frames for GSW. McIlwain allowed two runs but held UWG to two hits. He walked one and struck out four. Mitch Holloway was charged with an unearned run over his two innings on the hill. Holloway gave up four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out one. Freshman Michael Ranieri (1-1) picked up his first collegiate victory in one inning of relief. Kyle Romstadt was outstanding in his inning of work as he racked up three strikeouts. Kyle Spinks shut down the Wolves in the ninth for his second save of the spring.
UWG used five pitchers in the ballgame. Starter Josh Morgan lasted four innings, allowed three of the Hurricanes runs, walked two and struck out five. Colton Duttweiler (2-2) threw 1 2/3 innings of middle relief and allowed the decisive run.
GSW returns to Peach Belt Conference play on Friday at Hurricane Stadium with the series opener against UNC Pembroke at 5 p.m.
