The baseball team played four home games in the past week, opening with a 14-4 loss to the University of Georgia on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
The Owls got out to a 3-1 advantage in the first inning courtesy of an RBI single by Griffin Helms, followed by a two-run home run by Jake Franklin. Two runs were scored by the Bulldogs in the top half of the third inning to level the score, but Jaylen Smith’s RBI single restored an Owl lead. This would prove to be their final lead and runs scored in the game.
A three-inning lull ensued until the sixth inning when Georgia caught fire and scored 11 runs to seal the victory.
The Owls began their three-game series against the University of Evansville on Friday, Feb. 23, with a 7-6 victory, capped by a walk-off single from AJ Willoughby in the 12th inning.
The Owls led 5-3 going into the ninth inning with both teams scoring all of those runs in the first four innings. In those early innings, Grant Williams and Smith combined for three hits and four RBIs while Helms had one hit and one RBI.
Evansville scored three runs in the top of the ninth to take a one-run lead, but Jake Franklin hit a sacrifice fly out to tie the game up for the Owls and send it into extra innings. A tense period of extra innings remained scoreless until Willoughby drove home Franklin with a single to left field to win the game.
On Saturday, the Owls played a doubleheader against the Aces. Another close game saw a late comeback from the Owls in the first game, highlighted by a walk-off home run from Garrett Hodges.
The Aces started the game well and led the Owls 9-3 after five innings. From that point, they were shut out by the pitching of Logan Hutchinson, Monty Horn and Max Ryan.
In the next three innings, the Owls would score six runs to tie the game up heading into the ninth inning. Hodges, who entered the game late, stepped up to the plate and hit the game-winning walk-off home run for the Owls.
Franklin led the team with three hits, four RBIs and scored two of those RBIs in the eighth inning to tie the game at eight. Hodges had two hits and two RBIs with his one home run.
The second game of the day was won 8-6 by the Owls and included another timely comeback. Taylor Allum had two hits and two RBIs, while Smith and LaDonis Bryant combined for two hits and three RBIs.
Trailing 5-1 after five innings, the Owls scored six runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 lead. Each team scored a run in the seventh, but these would be the final runs scored. The Owls completed their three-game sweep over Evansville to give themselves an even record on the season.
The Owls play Mercer next at Stillwell Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m.
