Carrollton, GA - The Skip Fite era began with a nailbiter on Tuesday afternoon at Cole Field, as his West Georgia Wolves held off a late Shorter rally to take a 4-3 victory in the 2010 season opener.
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The game had a distinctly local feel to it, as Central alums
Michael Hornsby and
Randall Wright each had a solid afternoon, as did Bremen standout
Brett Wright. Hornsby, batting leadoff as a designated hitter, was 2-for-4 on the afternoon and scored the first run of the season. Brett was 1-for-4 and Randall closed the game out for the save in his first collegiate appearance.
After UWG starter
Cory Watts pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first, West Georgia's bats were hot from the Hawks; opening pitch, as Hornsby scorched the first delivery from Shorter starter Blake Chapman up the middle to open the game with a single.
The Wolves did not waste the effort, as Hornsby and catcher
Michael Bridges excecuted a nifty hit-and-run, giving UWG runners at first and second. Third bagger
Josh Whitehead continued the forward motion with a sacrifice bunt, followed by a sacrifice fly from first baseman
Blake Parrott for the first run of the season.
West Georgia didn't score any more in the first, but two innings later, Hornsby got things rolling again. Another single led off the inning, followed by a error that gave the Wolves runners at first and second again. Hornsby stole third, then scored on an infield single by Parrott.
Justin Smith followed with an RBI single, driving in Bridges and the Wolves were in command with a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Watts was brilliant in his first five innings of the 2010 season, allowing no hits with three strikeouts and three walks. The senior faced 19 batters on the afternoon, throwing just 74 pitches. The Wolves added one more run in the bottom of the fifth to give Watts a 4-0 lead when he left the game.
In the top of the sixth, the Hawks made a comeback bid, as UWG senior
Toby Jordan, in his first outing since early in the year last season due to an injury, allowed three runs on four hits in the inning. Another senior hurler,
Chris Ferguson, came in and closed the door on the Hawks chances in the inning, then tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings to set up Wright in the ninth.
The local product was nothing short of brilliant, sitting down Shorter in order in the inning to collect his first collegiate save. Hornsby, Bridges, Smith and
Brandon Mainor each had two-hit afternoons to lead the Wolves at the plate, with Parrott and Smith driving in two runs apiece.
West Georgia doesn't have long to rest, as the Wolves head to Columbus State tomorrow for a renewal of the annual rivalry. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.