AIKEN, S.C. – The University of Montevallo baseball team scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure a 10-7 comeback victory over host USC Aiken in the series opener of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series March 20.
The Pacers defeated the Falcons 10-2 in the second game of the doubleheader.
Montevallo (20-14 overall, 9-11 in Peach Belt Conference) will look to clinch the conference series in the final game of the series Monday, March 31. First pitch is set for 12 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Central.
The Pacers (23-8 overall, 11-6 in Peach Belt Conference) entered the conference series nationally ranked in four separate NCAA Division II polls, including a No. 7 ranking in the College Baseball Lineup poll.
Sophomore Chase Bryant led the Falcons offensively as he finished 3-for-3 at the plate in the Falcons' 10-7 win over the Pacers in the series opener. Bryant drove in one run and scored one run in the victory.
Senior Jackson Slaid went 2-for-5 at the plate and drove in one run. Senior Will Fulmer, who drove in one run and scored two runs, finished 1-for-4 at the plate. Junior Matthew Haskins, who drove in one run and scored two runs, went 1-for-3 at the plate.
Junior Vinny Rodriguez, who drove in one run and scored one run, finished 1-for-5 at the plate. Sophomore Brandon Marshall, who drove in one run and scored one run, went 1-for-2 at the plate. Junior Zack Willoughby, who drove in one run and scored one run, finished 1-for-3 at the plate.
Sophomore Michael Simmons drove in one run and scored one run. Freshmen Jacob Whiting and Alex Jones drove in one run each, while freshman Dane Hutcheon scored one run in the victory.
Sophomore Alex Pondick gave the Falcons a solid seven innings on the mound in his ninth start of the season. Pondick, who struck out nine without allowing a walk, gave up 12 hits and five runs, including just two earned runs.
Freshman Dustin Cowart (4-1) allowed one unearned run on one hit in one inning in relief to record the win. Sophomore Aron McRee registered his fifth save of the season after allowing one earned run on one hit in the ninth inning.
The Pacers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning in the series opener.
Kody Belcher, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, stole second base and advanced to third base on a single to left field by T.J. Costen before scoring on a RBI single to left-center field by Ty Barkell. Costen, who advanced to third base on the base hit by Barkell, scored on a RBI sacrifice fly to center field by Matt Bosse.
The Falcons plated one run in the top of the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. Willoughby led off the inning with a double to center field and advanced to third base on a groundout by Bryant before scoring on a RBI groundout by Whiting. Hutcheon, who reached on a walk and stole second base, had a chance to tie the game on a single to left field by Fulmer but he was tagged out at home plate following a throw by Bosse.
Montevallo scored one run in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Haskins, who led off the frame with a single to center field, stole second base and advanced to third base on a single to right field by Slaid before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center field by Jones.
USC Aiken plated three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Pacers a 5-2 lead.
Sean Miller, who reached on a fielding error by the Falcons, scored on a RBI triple to right-center field by Tyler Moore. Moore scored on a RBI infield single by Costen, who stole second base and scored on a RBI single by Barkell later in the inning.
The Falcons scored one run in the top of the eighth inning to trim the USC Aiken lead to 5-3. Fulmer, who reached second base on a two-base throwing error by the Pacers, advanced to third base on a flyout by Rodriguez before scoring on a RBI single to left field by Slaid.
The Pacers plated one run in the bottom of the eighth inning to push their lead to 6-3. Ben Metzler, who reached on a fielding error by the Falcons, advanced to third base on a groundout by Grayson Smith before scoring on a RBI single to left field by Miller.
The Falcons began their comeback in the top of the ninth inning when Bryant led off with an infield single and Hutcheon and Simmons reached on back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs.
Bryant scored the first run in the frame to trim the deficit to 6-4 when Fulmer reached on a walk with the bases loaded. Hutcheon scored the second run when Haskins reached on a walk and moved everybody up one base. The Falcons tied the game when Simmons scored on a RBI single to left field by Rodriguez.
Montevallo took its first lead in the game when Fulmer scored on a RBI single to left field by Marshall, which gave the Falcons a 7-6 advantage. Haskins scored when Willoughby was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to extend the Falcons' lead to 8-6. Rodriguez scored on a RBI infield single by Bryant to give Montevallo a three-run lead.
Marshall scored the Falcons' final run in the frame when Simmons reached on a walk for the second time in the inning with the bases loaded, which capped a seven-run inning and gave Montevallo a 10-6 lead.
Costen blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, but McRee was able to limit the damage to one run and close out the victory for the Falcons.
USC Aiken responded with a 10-2 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
Slaid led the Falcons offensively in the second game of the twin bill as he finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a double and scored one run.
Rodriguez went 1-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Willoughby finished 1-for-4 at the plate and drove in one run. Haskins went 1-for-4 at the plate. Bradey drove in one run in the nightcap.
Senior Alex Guilford (3-2) took the loss in the nightcap after allowing 10 runs, including nine earned runs, on 15 hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 6 2/3 innings on the mound.
Freshman Nash Osborne pitched a scoreless 1 1/3 innings in relief.
The Pacers jumped out to a 10-0 lead after two innings in the nightcap.
USC Aiken scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Moore, who singled to left field in the inning, advanced to second base on a wild pitch before scoring on a RBI single to left field by Costen. Costen and Barkell, who reached on a walk, scored on a two-run double down the left-field line by Bosse.
Bosse scored on a RBI infield single by Ben Donath later in the inning. Donath then scored on a RBI double to right-center field by Connor Oliveri, who came around to score on a RBI single to right-center field by Miller. Miller scored on a RBI double to right field by Belcher, who capped the scoring for the Pacers in the frame as he scored on a fielding error by the Falcons.
The Pacers added two runs in the bottom of the second inning to extend their lead to 10-0.
Costen led off the inning with a triple to left-center field before scoring on a RBI single to center field by Barkell. Metzler, who doubled to left-center field in the inning, scored on a RBI single to right field by Donath.
Montevallo finally got on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, trimming the Pacers' lead to 10-2.
Rodriguez led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced to third base on a double down the left-field line by Slaid before scoring on a RBI single to center field by Willoughby. Slaid, who advanced to third base on the single by Willoughby, scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Bradey.
