HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – University of Montevallo senior Vinny Rodriguez blasted two home runs in five at-bats against nationally-ranked UAH, but the Falcons came up just short in a hard-fought battle in a 10-9 setback in 10 innings against the Chargers in a non-conference contest April 8.
The Chargers, who are ranked as high as No. 6 nationally in the Perfect Game NCAA Division II poll and are ranked in four different national polls, plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning when junior reliever Taylor Burr hit UAH batter Ben Rhodes with a pitch with the bases loaded.
Rodriguez led the Falcons (18-18), who overcame an early five-run deficit and took the lead temporarily in the top of the eighth inning, offensively as he finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two homers. Rodriguez drove in four runs and scored three runs.
Sophomore Dane Hutcheon, who drove in one run and scored one run, went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double. Freshman Collin Dupree, who drove in two runs and scored one run, finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Senior Matthew Haskins, who drove in one run and scored one run, went 2-for-4 at the plate.
Junior Steven Knudson, who drove in one run and scored one run, finished 1-for-5 at the plate with a triple. Sophomore Alex Jones went 1-for-4 at the plate and scored one run, while junior Thomas Bradey finished 1-for-5 at the plate and scored one run.
Burr (3-4) took the loss after giving up one earned run on two hits with one walk in 1/3 of an inning in relief.
Senior starter Jeremy Bagnall allowed seven runs, including three earned runs, on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 4 2/3 inning son the mound.
The Chargers jumped out to a 5-0 lead with five runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The Falcons plated their first run in the top of the third inning to cut the Chargers' lead to 5-1 when Jones led off the frame with a single to right field and later scored on a RBI single to left field by Hutcheon.
Montevallo trimmed the deficit to 5-2 in the top of the fourth inning. Rodriguez led off the frame with a single to center field before coming around to score on a RBI single through the left side of the infield by Dupree.
UAH added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to extend its lead to 7-2.
The Falcons plated two runs in the top of the fifth inning to trim the deficit to 7-4. Haskins reached on a walk in the frame before Rodriguez blasted a two-run shot to left-center field.
The Chargers pushed their lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a solo homer by Zach Dugas before Montevallo plated three runs in the top half of the seventh inning to cut the lead to 8-7. Hutcheon doubled to right field in the frame before scoring on a RBI triple to right field by Knudson. Rodriguez then smacked his second homer of the game to left field and drove in Knudson to trim the deficit to one run.
The Falcons took their first lead of the game after plating a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning. Bradey reached on an infield single to lead off the frame before tying the game at 8-8 when he scored on a RBI single to center field by Dupree. Dupree came around to score the go-ahead run later in the inning on a RBI single to right field by Haskins.
The Chargers tied the game at 9-9 in the bottom half of the eighth inning on Dugas' second solo shot in the game.
UAH plated the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning when Dugas scored after Burr hit Rhodes with a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Falcons will return to action this weekend with a Peach Belt Conference contest against Columbus State University.
First pitch in the series opener is set for Friday, April 10 at 6 p.m.
