COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of Montevallo baseball team split a doubleheader with host Columbus State University in the final two games of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series March 15.
The Falcons, ranked No. 17 in the latest College Baseball Lineup NCAA Division II poll, defeated Columbus State 10-4 in the first game of the doubleheader before the Cougars clinched the series with a 7-6 walk-off win in the nightcap.
Junior Vinny Rodriguez led Montevallo (16-10 overall, 8-7 in Peach Belt Conference) offensively in the Falcons' 10-4 win over the Cougars in the first game of the doubleheader as he finished 4-for-6 at the plate. Rodriguez drove in two runs and scored two runs in the victory.
Sophomore Chase Bryant, who drove in three runs and scored one run, went 2-for-5 at the plate with a double. Junior Matthew Haskins, who drove in two runs and scored one run, finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a homer.
Freshman Alex Jones went 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in one run. Junior Zack Willoughby finished 2-for-5 at the plate. Senior Todd Thompson, who drove in one run and scored one run, went 1-for-4 at the plate. Sophomore Brandon Marshall, who drove in one run and scored one run, finished 1-for-1 at the plate. Freshman Dane Hutcheon went 1-for-5 at the plate and scored one run.
Senior Jackson Slaid scored two runs, while fellow senior Will Fulmer scored one run in the win.
Senior Alex Guilford (3-0) picked up the win on the mound in his third start of the season. Guilford allowed just one unearned run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks in 6 2/3 innings on the mound.
Senior Edward Brandsema gave up two earned runs on three hits with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings in relief. Freshman Joey Hume allowed one earned run on three hits in one inning of action.
Montevallo took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning in the first game of the doubleheader.
Slaid, who reached on a fielding error by the Cougars, scored on a RBI single to left field by Jones. Rodriguez, who singled to right field in the frame, came around to score on a RBI single through the right side of the infield by Bryant.
Columbus State trimmed the deficit to 2-1 with one run in the bottom half of the inning. The Falcons plated a run in the top of the sixth inning to take a 3-1 lead when Bryant, who reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base on a throwing error by the Cougars, scored on a RBI single up the middle by Thompson.
Montevallo extended its lead to 5-1 in the top of the seventh inning. Marshall, who reached on a walk, and Hutcheon, who singled up the middle, scored on a two-run double to left-center field by Bryant with two outs in the frame.
The Falcons plated three runs in the top of the eighth inning to push their lead to 8-1. Fulmer, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Slaid, who reached on a walk, scored on a two-run single to left-center field by Rodriguez. Rodriguez scored later in the frame on a RBI single up the middle by Marshall.
Columbus State scored two runs in the bottom half of the frame to cut the Falcons' lead to 8-3, but Montevallo added two more runs in the top of the ninth to push its lead to 10-3. Thompson, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, scored on a two-run homer to left field by Haskins.
The Cougars clinched the series with a 7-6 walk-off win over the Falcons in the nightcap.
Haskins led Montevallo at the plate as he went 3-for-5 with a double. Haskins drove in two runs and scored one run.
Fulmer, who drove in one run and scored two runs, went 2-for-4 at the plate. Thompson finished 2-for-5 at the plate and scored one run. Sophomore Brandon Marshall went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Willougby finished 2-for-5 at the plate.
Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 at the plate and drove in one run. Bryant went 1-for-3 at the plate and scored one run. Hutcheon finished 1-for-4 at the plate. Jones drove in one run.
Brandsema was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs, including one earned run, on two hits with one strikeout and one walk in 2/3 of an inning.
Freshman starter Alex Pondick allowed two unearned runs on four hits with two strikeouts and three walks in three innings.
Columbus State took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning in the nightcap. Caleb Williams led off the frame with a bunt single before scoring on an error by the Falcons. Collins, who reached on the error, scored when Dustin Averett grounded into a double play.
Montevallo plated five runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead over the Cougars.
Marshall led off the frame with a single to left field and scored on a groundout by Hutcheon. Bryant, who reached on a walk, scored on a RBI single to right field by Fulmer. Fulmer and Thompson, who singled in the inning, scored on a two-run double down the left-field line by Haskins. Haskins capped the scoring in the frame on a RBI single to right field by Rodriguez.
Columbus State trimmed the Falcons' lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning when Collins doubled down the left-field line before scoring on a RBI sacrifice fly by Jackson Oliver.
Montevallo added a run in the top of the eighth inning when Fulmer, who reached on a walk, scored on a fielder's choice by Jones. The Cougars responded with a run in the bottom half of the frame when Blake Edwards reached on a walk and scored on a wild pitch.
Columbus State claimed the 7-6 walk-off win with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Miller started the rally after reaching on a walk to lead off the inning. Miller and Collins, who reached on catcher's interference, scored on a two-run double by Oliver down the right-field line to tie the game at 6-6.
Obermark, who was intentionally walked, scored the game-winning run on a RBI single by Averett to right-center field
The Falcons will return to action Tuesday, March 18 with a non-conference game against the University of West Alabama.
First pitch at Kermit A. Johnson Field is set for 5 p.m.
