Falcons Late Rally Falls Short Against No. 15 West Alabama, 13-9
MONTEVALLO, Ala. - The University of Montevallo baseball team (1-4) took on 15th-ranked University of West Alabama (4-1) and gave the Tigers all they could handle falling 13-9. The Falcons tied the game in the seventh inning but a six-run eighth by the Tigers blew the game open. UM was led by senior Kevin Garcia (Vega Baja, Puerto Rico/Dunedin) who registered just one hit but picked up four RBI. He had a sacrifice squeeze bunt for his first RBI, a two-run homerun for his second and third RBI and a groundout RBI in the ninth for his fourth.
Sophomore Duston Daugherty (Hoover, Ala./Hoover) went 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and two runs scored. Freshman Austin Dubberly (Helena, Ala./Pelham) was 2-for-4 with a homerun, RBI and two runs scored. Senior Andy Revell (Albertville, Ala./Albertville) was 2-for-5 with one RBI and a run scored. Senior Chris Sosebee (Warrior, Ala./Sumiton Christian) had a double and an RBI while junior Scottie Deason (Hoover, Ala./Spain Park) picked up an RBI and a run scored.
Junior Cameron Sokalski (Delta, British Columbia/North Delta) started for the Falcons on the mound. He went 5.0 innings while striking out five and walking three. Junior Joey Noro (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) pitched one inning of relief followed by junior Kyle Butler (Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern) who went 2.0 innings and picked up the loss. He had three strikeouts and walked two. The Falcons final pitcher was senior Caleb McLeod (Pleasant Grove, Ala./Pleasant Grove) who went 1.0 inning and gave up no hits.
West Alabama struck first in the third inning as they used a double and a single to drive across one run. The Falcons responded immediately in the bottom of the third as Dubberly led off with a single to left field. He then stole second. Daugherty drew a walk to make it first and second with no outs. Deason hit a long fly ball to right field which allowed Dubberly to advance to third on a tag-up. Garcia then laid down a squeeze bunt that allowed Dubberly to score easily and tie the game.
The two teams were scoreless through the fourth and then West Alabama tacked on three runs powered by a lead-off solo homerun. They then added two more runs in the sixth as they had three doubles and a single.
Down 6-1 the Falcons responded in the sixth. Daugherty led off the inning with a double to right centerfield. Deason then singled up the middle to score Daugherty. Garcia followed that up with a two-run homerun to right centerfield to cut the UWA lead to just two.
After holding the Tigers scoreless in the top of the seventh the Falcons cut into the Tigers lead some more. Dubberly led off the seventh with a solo homerun to make the score 6-5. With two outs Garcia drew a walk and then stole second. He was then driven home by a Revell single through the left side to tie the game at six.
Tied 6-6 the Tigers offense exploded in the eighth as they scored six runs off five hits and two Montevallo errors. UWA then tacked on another run in the ninth to make the score 13-6.
The Falcons made one last comeback as they scored three runs in the ninth powered by a pair of doubles from Daugherty and Sosebee.
The Falcons will return to action next Sunday, Feb. 14 at 12:00 p.m. as they host Northwest Missouri State.
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