MONTEVALLO, Ala. – With dominant performances on the mound and from the plate, Montevallo Baseball completed the sweep over UVA Wise, 15-7, Saturday, in Montevallo, Alabama.
Senior
Gino Cozzi led the effort on the mound as he threw 5.2 scoreless innings, struck out six, and didn't allow a run or a hit.
At the plate, the Falcons collected 15 hits and scored a season-high 15 runs. Sophomore
Christian Kallaher led the Falcons hitters as he went 2-of-4 with four RBI and recorded his third homer of the year.
The game three win marked UM's fourth win of the year and extended the current win streak to four.
Montevallo's offensive onslaught began early on Saturday morning when Kallaher jacked a three-run bomb to left field to put the Falcons ahead 5-0 with just one out in the bottom of the first inning.
Cozzi went three up, three down for the second consecutive frame in the second before the Falcons added four more runs to its lead in the bottom of the inning.
Ethan Huddleston led off the second with a solo homer, his first of the season, to centerfield. An infield single from
Connor Crowson scored
Evan Liddie and pushed the lead to 7-0. Back-to-back RBI singles from Kallaher and designated hitter
Zen Hiatt out the Falcons up 9-0.
In the top of the third, Cozzi allowed his first of only two baserunners on a walk but made quick work of the Cavaliers to continue his dominant outing. Following UM's first scoreless inning at the plate, Cozzi went three, up, three down again, in the fourth.
Hiatt and Huddelston each added their second RBI of the day in the bottom of the fourth, extending the lead to 11-0.
Cozzi added two more K's to begin the fifth inning and turned in his fifth hitless and scoreless frame.
A sacrifice fly from
Brandon Moore in the fifth inning plated UM's 12
th run of the day.
In the bottom of the six, the Falcon offensive continued suffocating the Cavaliers and recorded four more hits in the frame, including a two-RBI single from
Jake O'Connell, making the score 14-0.
UVA Wise broke up UM's combined no-hitter on the mound in the top of the eighth inning and recorded a grand slam, trimming UM's lead to nine, 14-5.
Montevallo took a run back in the eight, when
Wyatt Cunningham scored on a wild pitch.
To close the game, UVA Wise plated two more runs but a throw home from
Payton Stephenson to Kallaher recorded the final out of the game.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 24 Montevallo 15 | UVA Wise 7
Records: Montevallo 4-3 | UVA Wise 3-5
Location: Montevallo, AL
GAME NOTES
- Gino Cozzi (1-1) earned his first win of the year on the mound with 5.2 scoreless and hitless innings pitched, six strikeouts, and just two base runners allowed.
- Christian Kallaher went 2-for-4 on the day with four RBI, a three-run homer, and an RBI single.
- Ethan Huddleston, Jake O'Connell and Zen Hiatt each added two RBI on the day.
- Eight of UM's nine starters recorded a hit on the day.
- Montevallo's pitching staff combined of Cozzi, Logan Wilsker and Trey Mooney held UVA Wise hitless and scoreless through seven innings.
- Evan Liddie led UM with three runs scored and reached base four times. He finished 2-for-3.
UP NEXT
The Falcons will travel to Livingston, Alabama for a midweek matchup with the West Alabama Tigers. Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 4 p.m.