The University of Arkansas at Monticello Diamond Weevils began their 2023 season with a three game stint in Clinton, Mississippi on Friday, February 3, and ending with a double-header on Saturday, February 4.
In game one, the Weevils would take a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning after a single to left field by Clay Lockett scored Chaz Poppy and Cade Cancilla.
The Weevils added to their run total in the top of the inning when Joe Brouilette drew a bases loaded walk to score Cancilla for a 3-0 lead.
Cancilla would be responsible for adding more runs for the Weevils in the top of the ninth inning when he connected for the first Weevil homerun, and Grand Slam, of the season to put the Weevils up 7-0.
UAM allowed one run in the bottom of the ninth to take the 7-1 win.
In game one of Saturday’s double-header, the Weevils would get out to a 9-0 lead after scoring two runs in the first inning and seven runs in the second.
Mississippi College would get three runs in the bottom of the second for their only runs of the game as the Weevils would take the contest 13-3.
In game two, Mississippi College would hold a 2-0 lead until the top of the sixth inning when Cade Thompson would connect for a three-run home run followed by a solo shot from Kirk Woolf to give the Weevils the three game sweep, 4-2.
Returning back to Monticello for their first home games of the season, UAM would host St. Cloud State University from St. Cloud, Minnesota for a four game series that began on Saturday, February 11, running through Monday, February 13.
On Saturday, the Weevils and Huskies put on a scoring showcase as the teams combined for 13 home runs including three homers by Kirk Woolf and two dingers by Chase Cripps.
With all the balls leaving the yard, the Weevils would take a one-run, 24-23, victory over nine innings to move to 4-0 on the season.
The Weevils would suffer their first loss of the year in game one of a Sunday double-header as the Huskies would defeat the Weevils 25-15, with the teams combining for five home runs on the day with St. Cloud connecting on two and the Weevils hitting three.
Game two of the day would carry over to Monday after play was suspended due to darkness.
The Weevils would get homers from Reece Reading and DeShaun Cordova to help the Weevils improve to 5-1 on the season with a 5-4 win.
In the final game of the series, the Husky bats would come to life once more, as the team outscored the Weevils 19-2 with both Weevil runs coming by way of homeruns by Woolf and Brouilette.
The Weevils would finish their first seven contests with a 5-2 record.
The Weevils will travel to Ada, Oklahoma for their first three game series of the year in the Great American Conference, facing East Central with the first contest beginning on Friday, February 17, with a 2pm pitch and concluding on Saturday with a double-header with game one set for 12pm first pitch.
