MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo baseball team lost the first game of Saturday's home doubleheader to Gulf South Conference foe Valdosta State University 10-3. UM is now 5-7 on the season and 4-7 in conference play.
 
VSU started off fast, scoring two runs in the top of the first. UM earned one back in the home half of the first inning when Asa Awbrey hit an RBI grounder to the first baseman that allowed Riley Cain to come across home plate. The Blazers scored another run in the top of the second to push their lead back to two runs.
 
The pitchers on each side settled in and did not allow another run until the top of the sixth when VSU tacked on another run to make it a 4-1 game.
 
UM got one run back in the bottom of the sixth as Ben Teel doubled to center field to send Awbrey home and cut the deficit to two. Montevallo then forced a three-up three-down inning in the top of the seventh and was gaining momentum.
 
The Falcons tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh to cut the Blazers' lead to 4-3. Jake Smallwood rocked a double down the left field line to send Cain home for the second time in the ball game. UM was not able to do any more damage in the inning, leaving runners stranded on the corners.
 
VSU exploded for four runs in the eighth inning and another two in the ninth to put the game on ice.
 
Cain led the Falcons at the plate, going 1-for-2, scoring two runs and reaching base in four of his five plate appearances. Teel went 1-for-3 with an RBI and earned two walks. Smallwood hit 1-for-5 with an RBI.
 
UP NEXT: Montevallo will host VSU in the second game of today's doubleheader at 4 p.m. to try to avoid the weekend sweep.