AIKEN, S.C. – The University of Montevallo baseball team fell to nationally-ranked USC Aiken 6-2 in the final game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series March 31.
The Falcons (20-15 overall, 9-12 in Peach Belt Conference) won the series opener before dropping the final two games of the series to the Pacers, who are ranked No. 7 in the latest College Baseball Lineup NCAA Division II poll.
Junior Matthew Haskins recorded the lone hit for the Falcons as he finished 1-for-4 with a solo homer. Freshman Dane Hutcheon also scored one run.
Sophomore Cody Hughes (2-3) took the loss after allowing six earned runs on 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings on the mound. Hughes struck out six without allowing a walk.
Fellow sophomore Aron McRee gave up one hit while registering one strikeout and one walk in 2/3 of an inning in relief.
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a solo homer to left-center field by Haskins.
The Pacers (24-8 overall, 12-6 in Peach Belt Conference) plated three runs in the bottom of the second inning, which gave USC Aiken a 3-1 lead.
Ty Barkell led off the frame with a solo homer to left field. Matt Bosse, who singled to left field, and Ryan Metzler, who doubled to right-center field, scored on a two-run double to right-center field by Ben Donath.
Montevallo trimmed the deficit to 3-2 with one run in the top of the third inning. Hutcheon, who reached on a walk to lead off the inning, advanced to second base when senior Will Fulmer was hit by a pitch and scored on a fielding error by the Pacers following a fielder's choice by Haskins.
USC Aiken extended its lead to 6-2 with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Kody Belcher, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Moore before scoring on a RBI single through the left side by T.J. Costen. Costen advanced to second base on a failed pickoff attempt before scoring on a RBI single to to left field by Barkell.
Barkell stole second base before scoring on a RBI single up the middle by Metzler to cap the scoring in the frame for the Pacers.
The Falcons will return to action Tuesday, April 1 with a non-conference game against Miles College.
First pitch at Kermit A. Johnson Field is set for 4 p.m.
