FROM STAFF REPORTS

The 2011 season marked a year of many changes in the University of Montevallo baseball program under first-year head coach Chandler Rose.

The Falcons took many strides forward this season in search of reemerging as a title contender since playing in the Gulf South Conference championship game in 2008 and the 2006 NCAA Division II College World Series.

This season the Falcons won nine more games than a year ago, including three more wins in conference play, and had a winning season at home for the first time since 2008. Montevallo finished third in the Peach Belt Conference in batting average, doubles, triples and slugging percentage, and fourth in on-base percentage and total bases.

Among those 22 wins were nine against ranked opponents, including a win over defending NCAA Division II champion Southern Indiana University. Montevallo ended the 2011 season by winning four of its last five games.

In 2010, the Falcons pitching staff earned run average soared to a blistering 8.32, but fell nearly three full runs this season under new pitching coach Erik Maas and settled at 5.37.

Offensively, the Falcons took a noticeably large leap in 2011. The teams’ batting average improved from .289 to .307 in just one season under Rose. The team improved in every offensive category of note including runs, hits, extra-base hits, slugging percentage, RBIs and stolen bases.

Defensively, the Falcons kept pace by committing fewer errors than last year’s crew. The pitching staff also allowed 83 fewer walks, 68 fewer hits, 152 less runs and dropped their opponents’ batting average by .34 points all while tossing 10 more innings.

The Falcons also had five players named Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week to go along with three All-Conference performers. Sophomore second baseman Austin Dubberly, a Pelham graduate, was named first team All-Conference. Juniors Heath Peterson and Chris Ross, a Pelham graduate, were named second team All-Conference.

Dubberly was one of the top fielders and hitters in the conference before missing the last two weeks of the season due to injury. Peterson finished third in the conference in slugging percentage and tied for sixth in home runs. Outfielder Chris Ross finished second in the Peach Belt Conference in batting average and first in on-base percentage.