LIVINGSTON, Ala. – Despite the University of West Florida taking the series over the University of West Alabama baseball team on Saturday, the Tigers put on a show in the bottom of the ninth in game one of the doubleheader, scoring six times, capped by a game-tying grand slam by
Nick Thibodeau and a walk-off hit by pitch, as the Tigers defeated the 16th-ranked Argos 15-14 from Tartt Field.
After Saturday's action, UWF, ranked 16th in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), is 9-3 and 2-1 in the Gulf South Conference, while UWA falls to 7-7 and 2-4.
GAME 1: West Alabama 15, West Florida 14
After the Argos started the game by leaving the bases loaded, the Tigers responded with an RBI single by
Ryan Fletcher to dent the scoreboard first. However, the Argos did answer in the second inning, as a leadoff walk was cashed in.
The Tigers made it a 4-1 game on a fielder's choice RBI by
Bryce Newman and a two-run knock by
Houston Kitterman.
In the fourth, UWF took the lead for the first time thanks to a two-run home run after the Argos saw four of the first five batters reach base.
Leading 5-4, the Argos added three more with another home run in the sixth. For the Tigers, they did not quit. After Caidan Peeples allowed a four-pitch walk to
Will Wood and a hit by pitch by Vogler, Kitterman added two more RBIs on his ledger with a double to make it an 8-6 score.
West Florida tried to put the game away, swelling the lead to 14-6 after one in the seventh and five in the eighth.
UWA was not going away quietly. In the bottom of the eighth, as six of the first seven players reached back. Pelkey started the merry-go-round on a bases loaded walk, and
Nick Thibodeau dropped a ball in left center field as a pinch hitter to score
Cade Horton.
Following a UWF pitching change, Newman kept the lineup moving with a knock to right field to score
Albert Hernandez to cut the deficit to 14-9.
The Argos loaded the bases again in the top of the ninth, but
Payton Graben left them out there to bring the bats back up.
A Fletcher double, a Horton single and a five-pitch walk by Hernandez loaded the bases again for the home team, and Pelkey's patience paid off again, as he drove in
Sam Smith on a free pass.
Bringing up Thibodeau launched a deep ball over the fence for the "grandest of all home runs" to even the game at 14, erasing what was an eight-run lead.
Following a Newman base hit, the Argos went to another arm out of the bullpen, as Chase Wilkerson was called upon. Of the three batters he faced, he plunked all three, including the winning run of Newman to give the Tigers the victory.
Playing nearly four hours in the opening game of the doubleheader, seven Tigers had at least two hits in the win, including three-hit performances by
Ryan Fletcher and
Cade Horton.
Nick Thibodeau went 2-for-2 after coming off the bench with five RBIs, while
Houston Kitterman added four RBIs on his two knocks.
The Tigers stayed patient at the plate, drawing seven walks and getting hit by a pitch eight times.
Darrien McDowell totaled four RBIs to lead UWF in the opening game.
GAME 2: West Florida 17, West Alabama 2
Both teams traded runs in the first inning of the series finale.
Kyle Vogler launched a home run to even the scoring at a run apiece.
However, from there, the Argos retook the lead in the second and never looked back, scoring a run in the second and fifth, four in the sixth and 10 in the seventh.
Bryce Newman and
Kyle Vogler each had a hit and RBI for the Tigers.
Parker Tubb had a 4-for-5 day at the plate for UWF in the nightcap.
The Tigers return to the diamond in Mobile on Tuesday with a trip to Spring Hill. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.
