Falcons Sweep Doubleheader against No. 13 North Alabama

FLORENCE, Ala. - The University of Montevallo baseball team (21-14-1, 3-5 GSC East) swept a doubleheader on the road for the first time this season against No. 13 University of North Alabama (23-13, 2-3 GSC East). This also marked the first series sweep at North Alabama by Montevallo since joining the NCAA in 1996.  The Falcons used the long ball to down the Lions, 9-6 and 6-4. The Falcons blasted six homeruns accounting for eight of Montevallo's runs. Junior Andy Revell (Albertville, Ala./Snead State C.C.) delivered two of those blasts good for three RBI. He also chipped in a pair of doubles while going 4-of-9 at the plate.

Junior Kevin Garcia (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Gulf Coast C.C.) went 3-for-6 with a homerun, two RBI and three runs scored while senior Jeremy Jones (Troy, Ala./Lurleen B. Wallace C.C.) was 3-of-7 with a homerun, an RBI and two runs scored. Senior Dustin Rhodes (Starkville, Miss./Starkville) led the team with four RBI and went 2-for-4 with a clutch pinch-hit two-run homerun in the sixth inning of game two to put the Falcons ahead 6-4.

The Falcons pitching was stellar as well as five pitchers combined to pick up the two victories. Juniors Caleb McLeod (Pleasant Grove, Ala./Shelton State C.C.) and John Michael Caraway (Trussville, Ala./Gadsden State C.C.) got the starts and picked up victories as McLeod improved his record to 2-3 while Caraway went to 5-1.

McLeod went 6.1 innings in game one while striking out three and walking three. Caraway went 5.2 innings in game two while striking out four and walking four. Junior Jason Ellis (Vestavia Hills, Alabama/Vestavia Hills) faced just one batter in game one and then was relieved by classmate Justin Aaron (Morris, Ala./Jefferson State C.C.) who went the final 2.2 innings picking up the save and giving up just one hit. Junior Heath Tapscott (Hartselle, Ala./UAB) finished game two picking up the save and going the final 1.1 innings with two strikeouts and a walk while holding the Lions hitless.

In game one the Falcons struck first as they plated a pair of runs in the second. Garcia and junior Cory Luckie (Fairhope, Ala./Bevill State C.C.) had back-to-back singles and were followed by a walk from freshman Brett Roney (Wetumpka, Ala./Wetumpka). With one out and the bases loaded Rhodes stepped into the batters box and hit a double that scored both Garcia and Luckie and was just shy of scoring Roney as he was gunned down at the plate.

The Lions responded with a run in the bottom half but the Falcons answered with three more in the third. Freshman Duston Daugherty (Hoover, Ala./Hoover) led off with a double and was brought home by a homerun off the bat of Revell. The other run came two batters later as Garcia went deep to make the score 5-1.

The Lions made it 5-3 in the bottom of the third and then scored three more runs in the fourth to go ahead 6-5.

The Falcons responded with a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth. In the fifth Daugherty led off by getting hit by a pitch and was moved to third as Revell doubled. One batter later senior Ryan Norman (Hoover, Ala./Hoover) hit an RBI single to score Daugherty and then Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Revell for the go-ahead run.

In the sixth Roney scored on a wild pitch after reaching on an error and Norman once again hit an RBI single to score Jones.

Game two opened up with the Lions looking like the No. 13 team in the country as they put up four runs over the first two innings to put the Falcons in a 4-0 hole with just five innings to play.

The Falcons responded with shut-down pitching and kept picking away at the Lions lead. In the third the Falcons struck with their first run as Jones hit a solo homerun to cut the Lions lead to 4-1. The very next inning junior Chris Sosebee (Warrior, Ala./Jefferson State C.C.) led-off with a homerun as well. Two batters later freshman Josh Headley (Gardendale, Ala./Gardendale), Roney and senior Chase Fowler (Sylacauga, Ala./Central Alabama C.C.) had back-to-back-to-back singles to plate another run.

Down 4-3 Revell came through again in the fifth with a solo homerun to tie the game at four. In the sixth it was all about the pinch-hit, two-out, two-run homerun by Rhodes to put the Falcons ahead 6-4.

The Falcons will return to action tomorrow, March 29 at 1 p.m. as they finish the series with No. 13 University of North Alabama.