Jarnagin Picks up Win No. 300 while the Falcons Split Doubleheader on Opening Day
MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The University of Montevallo baseball team (1-1) earned a split with Georgia Southwestern State University (1-1) at home on opening day of the 2009 season. The Falcons took game one 5-3 before falling 5-1 in game two. They were led junior Cory Luckie (Fairhope, Ala./Bevill State C.C.) who went 3-of-6 on the day with a double and an RBI. Falcon head coach John Jarnagin picked up his 300th career victory with the 5-3 win. Only in his second season at Montevallo, Jarnagin picked up most of his wins at Morehead State University.
The Hurricanes struck first in the opening inning of game one as their lead-off hitter smacked a double to left field. He then stole third and was brought home on a grounder to shortstop. The Falcons continued to trail 1-0 until the fourth inning when junior Chris Sosebee (Warrior, Ala./Jefferson State C.C.) led off the inning with a single through the left side. That was followed by a single by senior Dustin Rhodes (Starkville, Miss./Starkville) to move Sosebee to second to second.
Junior Kevin Garcia (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Gulf Coast C.C.) then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third. Junior Andy Revell (Albertville, Ala./Snead State C.C.) then picked up the first RBI of the season as he grounded out to the shortstop to bring in Sosebee. The final run of the inning came a few pitches later as the Hurricane pitcher threw one into the dirt allowing Rhodes to trot home.
The Hurricanes responded in the very next inning taking back the lead as they used three hits to produce a pair of runs and take a 3-2 lead. The Falcons would not be out-done as they used some key errors by the Hurricanes to produce two runs.
Senior Chase Fowler (Sylacauga, Ala./Central Alabama C.C.) reached base on an error by the second basemen to open the inning. Junior Nelson Garcia, Jr. (Tampa, Fla./Sickles) followed that up with a hit by pitch to make it first and second with no outs. Senior Jeremy Jones (Troy, Ala./Lurleen B. Wallace C.C.) used a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up and then Luckie hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring in Fowler. The final run scored when the pitcher over threw the first basemen to allow Garcia, Jr. to trot home.
Leading 4-3 the Falcons added an insurance run in the seventh after Garcia Jr. singled through the left side and stole second. He would then score as the shortstop made an error.
The win was picked up by junior Taylor Edwards () who pitched four scoreless innings while striking out six and allowing just one hit. Senior Nic Porter () picked up the save with 0.2 of an inning of work with a strikeout and no hits allowed.
In game two the Falcons gave up four runs over the first two innings before scoring in the bottom of the third as Luckie doubled down the left field line and scored on an error.
Junior Justin Aaron () took the loss after going 1.2 innings and giving up four runs. Junior John Michael Caraway () pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in relief while picking up six strikeouts.
Sosebee was 3-of-7 with a run scored while Rhodes and Revell each picked up two hits.
The Falcons return to action tomorrow, Feb. 2 at 1:00 p.m. as they close out their series with Georgia Southwestern State University.
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