Box Score OXFORD, Ala. –  The University of Montevallo softball team narrowly dropped the first game of the Gulf South Conference tournament, 6-5, Wednesday at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala.
 
 
After trailing for three innings, Shelby Sloan gave the Falcons a fighting chance with her second homer of the day, a two-out, three-run blast in the top of the seventh, to make it a one-run game, 6-5. A strikeout ended UM's rally in the first game of the tournament.
 
West Alabama struck first in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice bunt and an error to lead 2-0.
 
In the third, the Falcons answered the Tigers with back-to-back solo homers from Sydnee Reeves and Sloan to tie the game 2-2. UWA responded back, however, in the bottom of the frame with a pair of two-run blasts to take a 6-2 lead.
 
Montevallo's Ariana Pinder replaced the starter Taylor Lloyd in the fourth and held the Tigers scoreless for three innings and allowed just one hit with two strikeouts.
 
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 6 Montevallo 5 | No. 3 West Alabama 6
Records: Montevallo 19-23 (13-14 GSC) | West Alabama 39-11 (23-7)
Location: Choccolocco Park | Oxford, Ala.
 
GAME NOTES

• Shelby Sloan led Montevallo from the plate as she went 2-for-4 with four RBI and two homers – her second multi-home run game of the year.
• Sydnee Reeves joined Sloan as the only other Falcon with multiple hits in the game as she went 2-for-4 with a homer.
• Ariana Pinder turned in three scoreless innings in relief on the mound with two strikeouts and only one hit allowed.  
• Montevallo is now 2-7 in the GSC tourney all-time.

 
UP NEXT: With Wednesday's loss, the Falcons will play the loser between No. 2 Mississippi College and No. 7 Union on Thursday, May 4, at 10 a.m. in a win-or-go-home contest.