MONTEVALLO, Ala. –  The University of Montevallo softball team splits with the Hurricanes of Georgia Southwestern on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The Falcons took game one with an offensive explosion and a complete game shutout pitched by Taylor Lloyd. The Hurricane took game two of the day.
 
GAME ONE
In the first game played on the softball field at Orr Park, Montevallo came away with their highest run total of the season. Neither team scored in the first inning as Taylor Lloyd induced two weak pop ups and struck out the final batter. In the second inning, the Hurricanes had their first two runners reach by they were quickly erased with a double-play by Ariana Pinder who tagged the runner going to second, then fired to first to get out of the jam.
 
In the bottom of the second, the Falcons jumped all over the starting pitcher from GSW, all with two outs. Molly Pendley got it going with a walk then got to second base after a Lily Stone single. Ariana Pinder blasted her first home run of the season over the left field wall to put the Falcons up 3-0. Olivia Bergert and Bentlee Stiner both were able to reach base then Kendall Channell hit a three-run boom for her first collegiate homer of her career.
 
In the third inning, Montevallo was able to scratch across two more on a Hurricane error and an Ariana Pinder single to right. Molly Pendley picked up an RBI in the fourth inning as she knocked a single to center.
 
As good as the offense was, Taylor Lloyd was just as impressive as she tossed her second complete game shutout of her career. Taylor only needed 56 pitches to get through five innings while she struck out six and only allowed three hits and only walk. Lloyd owns a 3.34 ERA while she is tied for fifth in the Gulf South Conference with 35.2 innings pitched and is fourth in the conference with 36 strikeouts.  

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 9 | Georgia Southwestern 0
Records: Montevallo 5-6 (0-0 GSC) | Georgia Southwestern 6-7 (0-0 PBC)
Location: Softball Stadium at Orr Park (Montevallo, Ala.)
 
GAME NOTES

• Kendall Channell and Ariana Pinder hit their first home runs of the season in the second inning.
• Bentlee Stiner recorded her fifth multi-hit game of the season.
• Ariana Pinder is now 12^th in the Gulf South Conference with a batting average of .447 and is tied for sixth with 17 hits.
• Taylor Lloyd has only allowed one earned run in her last 15 innings pitched.

GAME TWO
The Hurricane bats would wake up in game two as they would hit two solo shots in the second inning to take a 2-0 lead. Montevallo would have second and third with none out in the bottom half of the second but would only score one off a miscue from the GSW defense.
 
Georgia Southwestern pitching stymie the UM batters as the Hurricane starter threw a complete game while only allowing one unearned run and five hits.
 
Mya Young pitched great in the circle as she went 5.1 innings while allowing three earned runs. Young struck out three in her first home start in the purple and gold.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 1 | Georgia Southwestern 6
Records: Montevallo 5-7 (0-0 GSC) | Georgia Southwestern 7-7 (0-0 PBC)
Location: Softball Stadium at Orr Park (Montevallo, Ala.)

GAME NOTES

• Maddie Taylor led the Falcons with two hits in game two.
• Ariana Pinder, Bentlee Stiner and Sydnee Reaves picked up a hit.
• Pinder now has a hit in 10 out of the Falcons 12 games this season. Stiner has a hit in nine out of 12.

 UP NEXT
The Falcons will next play on Saturday, Feb. 24 in their first conference games of the season as they host Christian Brothers University for a three game set.