MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of West Alabama baseball split the final pair of games in the five-game series with the University of Arkansas at Monticello. UWA (12-8) rallied from a 9-3 setback in the opening contest of the day to claim a 9-7 victory in the final game of the series.

UAM (6-15-1) posted seven runs in its first at-bat in the second game, but saw its lead slip away in the second and third innings. Clint Brown pushed the first run across the plate with a two out, double to center field that scored Kevin Deese. Brown later scored on an error by the Boll Weevil catcher.

Dallas Rogers tied the contest at 7-7 by driving in Bryan Mason and Jody Morgan. Morgan hit a bases loaded double down the right field line to start the scoring in the inning. Deese pulled UWA within two runs as he scored on a wild pitch.

A Deese triple up the middle scored Rob Dahlberg for the go ahead run in the fourth inning. Jeremy Finney singled down the right field line to score Brian Simone for an insurance run in the fifth.

Josh Varner (3-1) picked up the win with a six inning performance on the mound. The right-hander allowed seven runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts and two walks. Brian Burgess logged his fourth save of the season with the final inning on the hill, recording two strikeouts.

The Boll Weevils jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first contest in its first at-bat. The Tigers trimmed the lead to 3-1 in the second, as Douglas Frazier scored on a Sam McCormack fly out to right field. UAM posted two runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to push its lead out to 9-1. The Tigers managed two runs in the seventh, but couldn’t overcome the Weevil lead.

Dom Sapp (0-1) took the loss with 3 1/3 innings on the bump, allowing five runs on five hits with five strikeouts. John Ashley pitched 1 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs on four hits with Carrick Tuck pitching the final inning.

West Alabama returns to the diamond on Monday, March 9, as UWA hosts Columbia Union. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.