MONTEVALLO, Ala. – In the return to Kermit A. Johnson Field and Bob Riesener Stadium, the Montevallo Baseball team turned in its seventh consecutive Gulf South Conference Victory with a 7-6 win over Valdosta State, Friday, in game one of the series.
The series-opening win keeps the Falcons in a tie for first place in the GSC standings at 12-4, alongside Lee and West Florida.
With slated starter
Adiel Melendez out, senior
Connor Phelan stepped into the starting role and delivered. The sidearmer through five innings with six K's and allowed just three runs in his first start since his freshman season. Phelan is now 3-2 on the year.
After Phelan made quick work of the Blazers in the third, UM found two runs following a pair of VSU errors.
Connor Crowson led off the inning by reaching on an error and later scored on an RBI single from
Jake O'Connell. On the same play,
Ethan Huddleston, who reached on a hit-by-pitch, scored on an error to give UM the 2-0 lead.
In the second Phelan once again worked quickly through the VSU order, going three up, three down. With the 2-0 lead in the second, UM's offense kept its foot on the gas as
Connor Crowson knocked his sixth homer of the year over the right field wall to push the lead to 4-0.
Valdosta State found some offense in the third inning with its first hits of the game, including a three run homer to trim the deficit to one, 4-3.
Over the next three inning, pitchers on both sides were rolling as Phelan finished his outing with scoreless frames in the fourth and fifth. VSU starter Zac Dodson settled in and held the Falcons scoreless through the sixth inning.
Zach Wyatt relieved Phelan in the sixth and turned in scoreless frames in the sixth and seventh with three K's. In the bottom of the seventh, UM added to its lead with a three-spot. The trio of runs began with a single from
Evan Liddie which also included an error, allowing
Mitchell Walker to score. Next, with two outs, in a pinch hit at bat,
Landon Leake delivered a important two-RBI double to push the lead to four, 7-3.
In the eighth, UM committed its first error of the day, following a fielders choice that allowed a run to score, making it 7-4.
Valdosta State knocked a two-run homer in the ninth to make it a one run game before
Chris Foster took the round. In relief, Foster struck out the two batters he faced to secure the win and earn his fifth save of the year.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Montevallo 7 | Valdosta State 6
Records: Montevallo 21-12 (12-4) | Valdosta State 14-12 (8-8)
Location: Montevallo, AL
GAME NOTES
- Montevallo scored seven runs on six hits while Valdosta State collected nine hits and scored just six runs.
- VSU totaled four errors compared to just one for UM.
- The win is Montevallo's seventh-straight in conference action.
- The Falcons have now one the series opener in each of the last for GSC series.
- Montevallo's pitching staff did not allow any walks for just the first time this season.
- Connor Phelan earned his first start of the year and picked up his third win with six K's, no walks and just three runs through five innings pitched.
- Connor Crowson and Landon Leake each finished with a team-high two RBI. Crowson crushed a two-run homer, while Leake delivered a difference making two-RBI double late.
- Zach Wyatt mowed down the Blazers with four K's through 3.1 innings pitcher and allowed just two earned runs.
- Chris Foster struck out the two batters he faced to earn his team-leading fifth save of the year.
Montevallo will continue the series with Valdosta State, Saturday, Mar. 29, at 12 p.m. in a doubleheader.
