MONTEVALLO, Ala. --- The Montevallo softball team needed extra innings in the opening game of a three game Gulf South Conference series against Lee University, but came out on top with a thrilling 8-7 win in 10 innings. The Falcons snapped a four game losing streak and improved to 23-17 and 13-10 in the GSC, while the Flames fell to 24-19 and 14-10 in the conference.
Next Up: The Falcons and Flames wrap up the Gulf South Conference series with a doubleheader on Saturday at Orr Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Pitching
Mabry Norris improved to 6-4, pitching 5 2/3 innings of relief to get the win. She scattered six hits and allowed only one run that came in the 10th inning. She also had a strike out and a walk.
Falcons Leaders
Sierra Easterwood had a monster afternoon, going 3-for-3 at the plate. She added to her season record home run total, smacking her 17th of the season and drove home three runs.
Hannah Carey,
Alisha Lanyon and
Taylor Robinson all had two hits apiece. Robinson was 2-for-4 with a solo homer, her ninth of the season. Lanyon had an RBI and Carey had two RBIs, including the game-winner. .
Key Plays:
1st Inning
After the Flames scored the first run in the game, the Falcons answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning on a 2-run homer by
Sierra Easterwood.
2nd Inning
The Flames tied the game on an RBI double by Breanna Patton.
3rd Inning
The Falcons reclaimed the lead on an RBI single by
Lauren Hamby.
4th Inning
Lee evened the score at 3-3 with a solo home run by Shelby Cole. But, Easterwood delivered for the Falcons in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, scoring
Sydnee Pawlak, who raced around from second and avoided the tag at the plate.
5th Inning
The lead swung back to the Flames with three runs on only one hit. Two of the runs came on a walk and a hit batter. The other run came on a sacrifice fly that made it 6-4.
Taylor Robinson got one of the runs back with a solo homer over the center field fence.
6th Inning
Montevallo tied the game again on a two out, bloop RBI single by
Hannah Carey.
8th Inning
The Falcons had runners on first and second with one out and was unable to cash in, leaving two stranded.
9th Inning
Lee had a chance to score when Janina Remley ripped a double to the fence in left field. Pinch-runner Madison Richards rounded third and raced to the plate. However, she was cut down by a perfect relay from left fielder
Georgia Hughes, to Carey, to Hamby for the tag.
10th Inning
An error proved costly as the Flames scored when a sacrifice bunt attempt was mishandled at first base, allowing the go-ahead run to score. But, in the bottom of the inning, Lanyon ripped a single up the middle, scoring
Kinley Adams, who started the inning on second base via the international tiebreaker. Lanyon advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by
Olivia Bergert, then scored the game winning run on Carey's RBIs single.
