MONTEVALLO, Ala. – With a four-game winning streak, the Montevallo baseball team continues a road trip in Huntsville, Alabama, on Saturday, Mar. 23 and Sunday, Mar. 24.
The Falcons ranked sixth in the NCBWA South Region Poll, will take on the UAH Chargers in a doubleheader, Saturday, Mar. 23 at 1 p.m. and Sunday, Mar. 24, at 12 p.m.
Montevallo enters its second consecutive weekend road series at 17-10 overall and is tied for second in the current Gulf South Conference standings at 8-4 in league action.
Last week, the Falcons swept Mississippi College on the road and began this week with a midweek win over Miles, 5-1.
The trio of Adiel Melendez, Logan Samuels and Gino Cozzi return to the mound for the Falcons in the trip to Huntsville. Last week Melendez and Samuels each earned wins on the mound.
Following his performance against MC, Samuels was named the GSC Pitcher of the Week and South Region Pitcher of the Week.

GAME INFORMATION
Game 1
WHO: Montevallo 17-10 (8-4 GSC) | Alabama-Huntsville 15-12 (4-8 GSC)
WHEN: Saturday, Mar. 23, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Huntsville, Alabama
Game 2
WHO: Montevallo 17-10 (8-4 GSC) | Alabama-Huntsville 15-12 (4-8 GSC)
WHEN: Saturday, Mar. 23, 4 p.m.
WHERE: Huntsville, Alabama
Game 3
WHO: Montevallo 17-10 (8-4 GSC) | Alabama-Huntsville 15-12 (4-8 GSC)
WHEN: Sunday, Mar. 24, 12 p.m.
WHERE: Huntsville, Alabama

So Far This Season…

Montevallo returned to the NCBWA South Region rankings this week after sweeping MC. The sweep put the Falcons back on the winning track after going 5-7 to start the month of Mar.
UM's streak was extended to four games in a 5-1 win over Miles on Wednesday.
Montevallo approaches the halfway point of the conference season this week and continues to remain toward the top of the league both offensively and on the mound. The Falcons lead the GSC with 67 hit-by-pitch on the year and are top five in average (.303), runs scored (210), doubles (47), home runs (31), runs batted in (190), total bases (418) and walks (130).
 
Montevallo's pitching staff has the third-best ERA in the league, 5.10, and is second in the league with 220 strikeouts.
 

Scouting UAH:
 
UAH opened the year 12-4 but are 3-8 since. The Chargers enter the weekend series coming off a series loss, 1-2, to Valdosta State and a midweek loss to AUM, 15-13.
 
The Chargers lead the GSC in hits with 291 and are second in the league in runs with 220.
 
The UAH pitching staff, however, has one of the lowest ERA's in the league, 7.56.


Series History Against UAH:

Since 2013, Montevallo narrowly leads the series, 12-11. On the road in the series, UAH holds a 4-3 advantage.
 
Player Highlights Montevallo:


Junior Adiel Melendez, Senior Logan Samuels and Senior Gino Cozzi will take the mound for the three-game series this weekend.
Melendez threw 6.2 innings with two strikeouts and earned his second win of the year. Reigning Pitcher of the Week, Logan Samuels, threw a complete game shutout with seven K's, no runs, one walk and just three hits, for his third win of the year. The third counterpart in the starting trio, Gino Cozzi, turned in his third scoreless outing of the year against MC in game three, as he pitched five innings and allowed just two hits with two strikeouts.
 
Cozzi leads UM with a 3.03 ERA on the year, a 1.03 WHIP, a .165 opponent batting average and a 5-1 record. Samuels boasts a team-high 42 strikeouts – second in the league.
 
In the bullpen, the duo of Chris Foster and Connor Phelan lead the Falcons. Foster boasts a 2.53 ERA, 2-1 record, 11 K's and three saves while Phelan is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA, 19 K's and two saves.

Connor Crowson leads the Falcons with a .370 batting average on the year and has a team-high 27 RBI. The third baseman is slugging .570 on the year with a .492 on-base percentage.
 
Ethan Huddleston has surged for the Falcons lately as he is tied for the team lead in homers with Crowson with five and leads the team with a .649 slugging percentage while batting .351 from the plate.  
 
Freshman Zach Wyatt had a successful outing for the Falcons last week as he earned his first save of the year in three innings pitched. He was named the GSC Freshman of the Week. Wyatt is 1-0 on the year with one save.
 
Player Highlights UAH:
 
UAH's Merick Carter leads the GSC with a .456 batting average on the year with a league-high 41 hits.