MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of Montevallo baseball team will open Gulf South Conference action with a three-game series against Christian Brothers at home, Feb. 23-24, at Kermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Riesener Stadium.
 
The Falcons will host the Bucs in game one of the series on Friday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m. with games two and three taking place on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.
 
Montevallo enters the homestand on an impressive eight-game winning streak while Christian Brothers comes to Montevallo on a two-game win streak and is 1-3 in conference play.
 
Adiel Melendez, Gino Cozzi, and Logan Samuels will take the mound on the weekend for UM.

GAME INFORMATION
Game 1
WHO: Montevallo (8-3, 0-0) vs. Christian Brothers (5-6, 1-2)
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Montevallo, AL | Kermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Riesener Stadium
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LIVE STATS
Game 2
WHO: Montevallo (8-3, 0-0) vs. Christian Brothers (5-6, 1-2)
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 24, 12 p.m.
WHERE: Montevallo, AL | Kermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Riesener Stadium
WATCH
LIVE STATS
Game 3
WHO: Montevallo (8-3, 0-0) vs. Christian Brothers (5-6, 1-2)
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 24, 3 p.m. (7inn)
WHERE: Montevallo, AL | Kermit A. Johnson Field at Bob Riesener Stadium
WATCH
LIVE STATS
 
So Far This Season…

The Falcons bounced back from a three-game losing skid to begin the year with eight straight wins. UM's first win of the year came in thrilling fashion, 14-12, in extras over Spring Hill. Afterward, the Falcons swept UVA-Wise in the home-opening series, blanked West Alabama in a midweek game on the road, and swept No. 22 Northwood at home last week.

Last weekend, the bullpen shined in the sweep as Connor Phelan logged a win and a save and Chris Foster picked up his second win of the year.

During the eight-game win streak, the Falcons are scoring an average of nearly 10 runs per game and tallying 12 hits per game.

The weekend sweep over No. 22 Northwood marked the Falcons' first sweep of a ranked opponent since defeating Columbus State in 2017.

The Falcons rank as one of the top-five offenses in the Gulf South Conference with 88 total runs on the year and have the fifth-most hits with 121. Each team ranked above the Falcons in both categories has played more games.

Defensively, UM posts a league second-best .980 fielding percentage and has committed a conference-low eight errors on the year.

The pitching staff has combined for a league-leading 99 strikeouts on the year and is holding batters to a GSC-best .235 batting average.

 
Scouting Christian Brothers: 

The Christian Brothers Buccaneers opened the season with a 2-2 series split to Northwest Missouri then dropped a two-game series to Rockhurst, topped Bethel in a midweek matchup, lost the series 2-1 to West Georgia, and defeated Talladega 9-8.
 
The 12-11 win in extra innings for CBU to close the series against West Georgia began the two-game win streak. CBU narrowly edged Talladega, 9-8 on Feb. 20.
 
The Bucs are batting .282 on the year as a team and have scored 73 runs on 98 hits. CBU additionally ranks second in the GSC in doubles with 23.
 
On the mound, CBU's earned-run average as a team is last in the GSC at 8.03.

Series History Against Christian Brothers:

Montevallo is 11-4 against Christian Brothers since 2018, including a 4-2 mark at home. UM is currently on a four-game win streak in the series going back to the 2022 season. CBU's last win over UM was on Mar. 13, 2022, 6-1. Montevallo swept the Bucs on the road last season.



 
Player Highlights Montevallo:
 
Game one's pitcher, Adiel Melendez, a lefthanded junior, is 1-0 on the year and will make his fourth start against the Bucs. He has 16 strikeouts through 13.0 innings pitched with a 4.58 ERA. Senior Gino Cozzi will take the mound in game two for the Falcons with a 2-1 record on the year in his fourth start. He has amassed 17 K's in 15.1 innings pitched and has a team-leading 0.91 WHIP on the year. Opponents are batting just .118 against Cozzi on the year, who has allowed just six hits and has a 4.11 ERA. Senior Logan Samuels (1-0) will take the mound for the seven-inning game three as he leads UM's starting-pitching staff with a .371 ERA on the year and 18 K's.

In the bullpen, Connor Phelan leads the way with a 0.90 ERA in 10.0 innings pitched. The senior has struck out 10 batters, allowed just three runs and has a .90 WHIP with a 1-0 record and two saves.

Aside from Phelan, freshman Kaden Heatherly has been a strikeout machine in the pen with six K's through 3.1 innings pitched. In his last outing, he struck out the side against West Alabama to cap off the win.
 
Chris Foster leads the bullpen in wins with a 2-1 record on the year, a 1.93 ERA and just one run allowed through four innings of work.

At the plate, Mitchell Walker leads the Falcons with a .370 batting average on the year with an OPS over 1.000. Connor Crowson, who was named the GSC and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Player of the Week last week, is batting .366 from the plate with a team-high 15 hits, 13 RBI, and .490 on-base percentage. In addition, Crowson is slugging .610 with two homers, a triple, and two doubles. He also leads UM in walks with nine.

Sophomore catcher Christian Kallaher is batting .308 on the year with an impressive .885 slugging percentage. Six of his eight hits are extra-base hits which include a team-leading four homers, a triple, and a double.


 
Player Highlights Christian Brothers:
 
Dalton Pyzer leads the Bucs offense so far this season with a .400 batting average, 1.563 OPS, 1.000 slugging percentage, .563 on base percentage, four doubles and five homers.
Ben Brocato, batting .256 on the year, leads CBU with 12 RBI.

Sam Brumbaugh leads CBU in strikeouts this year on the mound with 13 and is 1-1 with three starts.