MOBILE, Ala. –
Jake Bush and
Mitch Holgate combined to drive in nine runs and
Jack Cockrum had three hits to lead No. 11 West Alabama to a 12-6 college baseball victory over Spring Hill Wednesday at Historical Stan Galle Field.
The win was the fifth straight for UWA, improving the Tigers to 12-4 while ending an eight-game road swing. Spring Hill dropped to 7-8.
West Alabama got off to a rapid fire start with a pair of two-run home runs in the top of the first off the bats of Holgate and Bush. The long balls were the fifth of the year for Holgate and the first for Bush.
Holgate drove in two more runs with a two-out double in the top of the second inning, driving in
Dylan Little and
Davis Aiken, who had singled.
Nick Delgado doubled in Holgate to make it 7-0 Tigers before getting thrown out trying to stretch the gapper to right centerfield into a triple.
"We came out ready to play and jumped to a big lead early," UWA coach
Gary Rundles said. "It was good to see us focused and ready to go against a good Spring Hill team.
"The top five guys in our batting order got on base 15 times," Rundles said. "Those guys are obviously seeing the ball pretty well and
Dylan Little keeps having good at bats in the lower part of the order."
Spring Hill picked up a run in the bottom of the second when Ulysses Fluellen tripled with two outs and scored on a single by Garrett Webb.
UWA added a single run in the fourth inning when Bush drew a bases-loaded walk to score
Jack Cockrum. The Tigers left the bases full in the inning.
Spring Hill bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring four runs on four hits, all with two outs. Fluellen, Michael Druhan and Jacob Malkoff singled in runs. The other run scored on a wild pitch.
West Alabama answered with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. Bush drove in his fourth and fifth runs of the game with a single past a drawn in infield. Little and
Adam Chamblee also had RBI singles.
Brady Badon (1-0) picked up the pitching win in relief of UWA starter
Josh Jones, who exited after 4.2 innings. Badon went 2.1 innings, allowing a run on one hit while striking four and walking two. Spring Hill starter Dylan Kiene (1-2) allowed seven runs on eight hits to absorb the loss.
Holgate extended his hitting streak to nine games, while Bush and Holgate have both reached base in every game this season. Delgado, who had two hits, has reached base safely in 11 straight games. Bush and Little both had two hits in a 13-hit Tiger attack.
Fluellen's two hits led Spring Hill, who is host to Lane College this weekend.
West Alabama returns to Gulf South Conference play by hosting Valdosta State (10-4, 4-2) in a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Tartt Field.
