MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The Montevallo Falcons received a great team effort to beat Union 11-7 in the GSC series opener Friday night.
Freshmen
Khalid Collymore went 2-for-3 and scored three runs.
Asa Awbrey reached base in all five plate appearances, was 3-for-3 and scored three runs.
Mitch Fleming hit a three-run homer, sophomore
Ben Teel added two hits and two RBI and senior
Ryan Brooks added two RBI. On the mound, seniors
Gus Cunningham and
Chandler Ingram supplied the strength.
Union opened up the game with four runs in the top of the first off Falcons' starting pitcher
Gus Cunningham.
Montevallo countered in the bottom of the first when
Khalid Collymore singled, Asa Awbry was hit by a pitch and
Ben Teel reached on an error, scoring Collymore.
Ryan Brooks sent a two-out double into the gap in right-center, scoring Awbry and Teel.
Union tacked on a run in the top of the second before the Falcons scored five runs in their half of the second. Freshman
Ryan Curran started the rally with an infield single, Collymore singled and Awbey doubled, scoring Curran. Teel followed with a double, scoring Collymore. Freshman
Mitch Fleming unloaded with a three-run homer to put the Falcons up 8-5.
Cunningham settled into a rhythm, allowing single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. He left the game with an 8-7 lead after 5.1 innings of work, scattered 11 hits,five earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts.
"Gus was outstanding tonight," said tenth-year head coach
Chandler Rose. "He pitched under tough conditions, competed hard, settled down, and got us to the sixth inning."
Montevallo scored two more in the bottom of the sixth to grow their lead to 10-7 when Collymore reached on an error, Awbry singled, Teel singled home Collymore, and freshman
Evan Place singled home Awbry.
The Falcons added one run in the bottom of the seventh when Curran was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a balk and a wild pitch and scored on senior
Jake Morris' perfectly executed squeeze bunt.
The Falcons relief pitching was stellar. Senior
Joel Cheatwood pitching 0.2 innings, striking out one. Junior
Daniel Buice struck out one in his 0.1 inning of work. Senior
Chandler Ingram threw 2.2 innings, gave up just one hit and struck out five Union hitters, for his fourth save of the season.
"Ingram was awesome again, typical outing for him," added Rose.
Montevallo runs their record to 10-8 overall, 4-6 in the GSC. Union falls to 7-11, 2-5 in conference play. Union and Montevallo continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday, starting at 1 p.m.
