MONTEVALLO, Ala. — For the first time in his 10-year head coaching career,
Chandler Rose gave the ball to a true freshman starting pitcher to open up a new season. And he didn't disappoint as
Grayson Bray tossed five innings of one-run baseball en route to Montevallo's 4-2 win over Ohio Valley University Friday afternoon.
"He was great," Rose said on his freshman right-hander. "I think we, kind of, knew that was in him, but you are always nervous when you're throwing a true freshman out there on Opening Day.
"He was awesome, though. Even when he got into a tough situation after we made one error and they loaded the bases, but he came right back and got a double play to get out of it and made some really big pitches."
Bray wasted no time displaying his electric stuff as he recorded two strikeouts in the top of the first. He added two more in the second, one in the fourth and capped his after with back-to-back strike outs to end the fifth. By the time he reached the end of the road after the fifth inning, Bray had scattered four hits, struck out seven, issued only two walks and allowed only one run — a one-out solo home run in the top of the second, which he responded to with back-to-back strikeouts.
"I was amped today," Bray said. "I was nervous last night and felt something in my stomach every time someone would say something. But I was amped today. I actually started warming up too early, because I was so ready to go.
"I threw a lot of fastballs today, because my slider was a bit inconsistent — I just couldn't throw it where I wanted to — but I got a lot of outs with my fastball today."
Bray handed the ball over to
Christian Simon to start the sixth and the left-hander went 2.0 innings and allowed only one hit, one run and struck out two. Simon's run allowed came in the top of the seventh when Mark Ross tripled home Mitchell Lohr to tie the game at 2.
That's when
Asa Awbrey's time to shine came as an inning later, Awbrey, another true freshman, singled home
Jake Morris, who pinch ran for
Evan Place after he led off the inning with a double. Morris stole third, then came home to score on Awbrey's hit.
Sebastian Samuels, who tied the game at 1 earlier in the game, extended Montevallo's lead when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the eighth inning.
Chandler Ingram (1-0) earned the win for the Falcons as he allowed only one hit and struck out three batters during the eighth and ninth innings.
