FROM STAFF REPORTS

For the second consecutive night, a ninth inning rally came up short as the University of Montevallo lost to No. 2 Delta State University, 7-5, in the championship game of the Gulf South Conference Baseball Championships at USA Stadium in Millington, Tenn., Wednesday.

The Falcons had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the ninth inning when Jeremy Jones hit a slow bouncing ball down to Delta State shortstop Devin Goodwin. Goodwin’s throw to first base narrowly beat Jones to end the game. Senior Eric Moore knocked in a run with a two-out double in the previous at bat to put himself in scoring position as the tying run.

Moore led off the game with a double and later scored on a ground ball by Chris Cooper. Delta bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the second inning, but Jones drove in a run in the top of the third to tie the game. Delta answered again to take a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the inning. Jones scored in the sixth on an RBI single by Cooper, who also drove in a run in the eighth. Delta scored a run in both the sixth and seventh innings. Cooper had three RBIs in the game, while he and Moore led UM with two hits each.

Zac Blakney started on the mound for UM and took the loss after allowing four earned runs off seven hits through three innings of work. Garett Mims went the next three innings, allowing two runs, while Jeffrey Reach pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.

After the tournament, four Falcons were named to the All-Tournament Team. In addition to Moore, outfielder Brantly Clay, catcher Ryan Norman and relief pitcher Nate Russ were selected. DSU pitcher Kevin Smalley was named the Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

UM concludes the season with a 36-25 overall record