LIVINGSTON, Ala.-No. 7 West Alabama swept a doubleheader from the Christian Brothers University Bucs Sunday afternoon, winning the opener 6-2 before claiming a 7-4 win in the nightcap.
GAME 1:WHAT HAPPENED:The Tigers (18-4, 9-2 GSC) built a 6-0 lead on their way to a 6-2 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• UWA, playing as the visiting team since the series was originally scheduled for Nadicksbernd Field, plated a run in the top of the first on a single, two walks and a hit batter.
• The Tigers doubled their advantage in the third on a leadoff homer by Mitch Holgate.
• UWA put it out of reach with a four-run seventh inning on a double, a hit batter, a walk and a pair of singles.
• CBU (5-16, 0-11) answered in the bottom of the seventh as
Caleb Goodwin (Shreveport, La./Evangel Christian Academy) hit a leadoff single and scored when
Lucas Castleberry (Bryant, Ark./Bryant HS) launched a two-run homer to left.
KEY STATS:• Castleberry went 1-for-4 with a homer, a run and two RBI.
•
Joe Mattson (Nashville, Tenn./Franklin Road Academy) went 1-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice bunt.
• Caleb Goodwin was 1-for-4 with a run.
•
Casey Goodwin (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) went 1-for-4.
GAME 2:WHAT HAPPENED:The Tigers used a two-run sixth to pull away for a 7-4 victory in the nightcap.
HOW IT HAPPENED:• UWA struck first with a run in the second on three singles.
• The Bucs evened the score in the bottom of the second.
Hunter Howard (Chelsea, Ala./Chelsea HS) worked a leadoff walk, moved to second on a Castleberry sacrifice bunt and scored on a
Christian Halterman (Dyersburg, Tenn./Dyer County HS) single.
• The Tigers regained the lead as they manufactured a run in the top of the third on a two-out hit batter followed by a stolen base, a wild pitch and a single.
• The Bucs again equalized in the bottom of the frame with a two-out rally of their own. Casey Goodwin walked, moved to second on an error and scored on a Mattson single.
• The Tigers took the lead for good in the top of the fourth wiht a run on back-to-back two-out doubles.
• UWA extended its lead to 5-2 in the fifth with two runs on a walk and two singles.
• The Bucs scored two of their own in the bottom of the fifth.
Josh Johnson (Somerville, Tenn./Fayette Academy) drew a leadoff walk, and
Mickey Smith (Arlington, Tenn./Arlington HS) and Casey Goodwin were hit by pitches to load the bases with no outs. With two away, Howard reached on an error that plated Smith and Johnson to bring the Bucs within a run.
• UWA set the final margin with a pair of runs on a wild pitch and an error after a single and a hit batter set the stage.
KEY STATS:• Halterman went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
• Casey Goodwin was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run.
• Smith was 1-for-3 with a run.
• Mattson went 1-for-4 with one RBI.
•
Jeff Goodwin (Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers HS) was 1-for-3.
• Castleberry laid down two sacrifice bunts.
•
Ryan Abone (Germantown, Tenn./Houston HS) tossed an inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief, pitching around a pair of walks.
WHAT'S NEXT:The Bucs and Tigers complete the series Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. CBU's next home game is set for Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m. as they host Illinois Wesleyan.
