CLEVELAND, Miss. – The No. 20 Montevallo softball team set a new program record for wins in a single season (33), after earning a pair of wins to secure a sweep over Delta State on Friday.
Montevallo's 33 wins this season surpasses the previous program record of 32 set by the 2018 Montevallo softball team. The Falcons also secured its sixth consecutive Gulf South Conference series win and third straight sweep.
GAME ONE
Kinsley Byrd earned the start in the circle and was solid through three innings, allowing no runs and no hits, while striking out three. Byrd earned her seventh win of the season. Mya Young and Addy Tillery pitched one inning each, holding the Lady Statesmen scoreless to preserve the shutout.
Montevallo started the game strong, scoring seven runs in the top of the first inning. Bentlee Stiner brought in the first runs of the game, as the senior hit a two-run single to score Ariana Pinder and Becca Benton. Riley Tyree added an RBI-single to score Makayla Peters, giving the Falcons a three-run lead. Emma Faulk hit her fourth home run of the season to bring in three runs, giving the Falcons a 6-0 lead. Lillie Piersol scored on an error to cap the seven-run inning.
After a few quiet innings, Montevallo added to its lead in the top of the fifth. Madison Fargo hit an RBI-single to score Stiner, extending the Falcon lead to 8-0. The Falcons continued to threaten, loading the bases with two outs. Riley Daniel stepped up to the plate and recorded her first hit as a Falcon which proved to be a big one, as the senior hit a grand slam to stretch the Montevallo lead to 12-0. Ariana Pinder followed that up with a solo home run to put the Falcons ahead by 13 runs.
Tillery shut the door on the Lady Statesmen in the bottom of the fifth to secure the Montevallo, 13-0, run-rule victory.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 20 Montevallo 13 | Delta State 0
Records: No. 20 Montevallo 32-6 (15-5 GSC) | Delta State 12-25 (6-14 GSC)
Location: University Field | Cleveland, Miss.
GAME NOTES
GAME TWO
Kinsley Byrd once again earned the start in the circle and held the Lady Statesmen scoreless through three innings. Berkley Mooney pitched the next 3.2 innings and Mya Young recorded the final out, keeping the Lady Statesmen to secure Montevallo's second consecutive shutout.
Montevallo struck first in the series finale, as Bentlee Stiner hit an RBI-double to score Becca Benton, giving the Falcons a 1-0 advantage in the top of the second inning.
After three quick innings, the Falcons threatened again in the top of the sixth, as Lillie Piersol and Taylor Rogers recorded hits, and Ariana Pinder walked to load the bases with one out. An error would score Rogers and Pinder to extend the Montevallo lead to 3-0. Makayla Peters added an RBI-single to score Benton, giving the Falcons a, 4-0, edge.
Delta State threatened in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs, but Mya Young forced a fly out to secure the Montevallo, 4-0, victory.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 20 Montevallo 4 | Delta State 0
Records: No. 20 Montevallo 33-6 (16-5 GSC) | Delta State 12-26 (6-15 GSC)
Location: University Field | Cleveland, Miss.
GAME NOTES
- The Lady Statesmen outhit the Falcons 7-6.
- Kinsley Byrd earned her eighth win of the season.
- Montevallo records its sixth consecutive GSC series win and third straight sweep.
- The Falcons set a new program record for wins in a single season (33).
UP NEXT: Montevallo returns to action on Tuesday, Apr. 8, as the Falcons face off against Miles College.
