MONTEVALLO, Ala. – University of Montevallo senior Matthew Haskins blasted three home runs on the day and doubled his total to six on the season, but despite his production at the plate the Falcons dropped a doubleheader against visiting USC Aiken following a pair of 8-7 and 5-3 setbacks March 28 against the Pacers at Kermit A. Johnson Field.
The Falcons (14-15 overall, 8-9 in Peach Belt Conference) will try to pick up a win in the third and final game of the series Sunday, March 29. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Haskins paced Montevallo in the series opener as he finished 5-for-5 at the plate with two home runs while driving in three runs and scoring two runs.
Junior Thomas Bradey went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Fellow junior Jeremy Hyde, who drove in two runs and scored one run, finished 1-for-5 at the plate with his third homer of the year.
Sophomore Dane Hutcheon went 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and scored one run. Freshman Collin Dupree finished 1-for-5 at the plate with a double.
Senior Cody White, who drove in one run and scored one run, went 1-for-4 at the plate. Fellow senior Vinny Rodriguez finished 1-for-3 at the plate and scored one run. Junior Steven Knudson drove in one run.
Junior Taylor Burr (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing one earned run on two hits with one strikeout and two walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Junior starter Cody Hughes gave up seven runs, including four earned runs, on eight hits with seven strikeouts and four walks in 6 1/3 innings.
The Falcons tied the game at 7-7 with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Haskins blasted a solo shot to left-center field and Hyde followed up with a two-run bomb to center field.
USC Aiken plated the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning on a RBI single by Douglas Ard.
Haskins again led the Falcons in the nightcap as he finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a homer and a double while driving in one run and scoring one run.
Hutcheon went 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Junior Michael Simmons finished 1-for-2 at the plate with a double and scored one run.
Sophomore Jacob Whiting went 1-for-3 at the plate and drove in one run. Bradey and Rodriguez, along with sophomore Alex Jones, each finished 1-for-4 at the plate.
Junior starter Landon Smith (1-4) was tagged with the loss after giving up four earned runs on eight hits with one strikeout in 7 1/3 innings. Junior Aron McRee allowed one earned run on three hits with one strikeout and two walks in 1 2/3 innings in relief.
Haskins solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning gave Montevallo a 3-1 lead in the nightcap.
However, a three-run blast by the Pacers' Zach Moon in the top of the eighth inning gave USC Aiken the come-from-behind victory.
