AMERICUS - The Georgia Southwestern baseball team surrendered three runs in the first inning and struggled to catch up by stranding 11 runners on base over the opening five frames in a 14-4 loss to West Georgia on Wednesday evening at Hurricane Stadium.

GSW has allowed two or more runs in the opening two innings of their last six games.

The Hurricanes suffered their second non-conference defeat of the spring (15-2) and saw their overall mark dip to 18-20, while West Georgia improved to 23-10.

West Georgia added three runs in the third, four in the fourth and closed out the game with four more in the seventh.

GSW put a picket fence on the scoreboard by posting a run in four consecutive innings. Construction started in the second inning with an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Davey King. Brett Burgess singled to center field in the third to plate Dakota Long. In the fourth inning it was Evan Alderman with the RBI single. Alderman was back in the fifth to drive in another run, this time his single brought home Burgess. 

Burgess finished 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Alderman had two hits and a pair of RBIs.  

Garrett Hayes was 4-for-4 with six RBIs, a double and scored twice to lead West Georgia. Caleb Lopes and Dalton Rogers added two hits and two runs apiece. Rogers drove in four. 

The two sides combined to use 10 pitchers in the seven-inning ballgame.

GSW starter Mitch Holloway (2-3) was tagged with the loss after running into trouble in the first. Holloway pitched 2 1/3 innings. Layne Gusler finished the third. Drew Powers, Earl Dupree, Jarrod Crum and Michael Ranieri followed with an inning apiece.

UWG relief pitcher Tritt Fennell (3-2) covered 2 1/3 innings to pick up the win.

Southwestern is off this weekend ahead of a trip to Tuskegee University on Tuesday for a 4 p.m. game.