Falcons edge Tigers in non-conference game

Published 11:08 pm Wednesday, March 14, 2012

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo baseball team won its third-straight 10-inning game following an 11-10 victory on the road at the University of West Alabama in a non-conference game March 14.

The Falcons (14-11) won despite committing a season-high 10 errors and allowing eight unearned runs.

Montevallo was led by senior Heath Peterson, who drove in four runs while going 3-for-7 at the plate with two runs scored and a homerun. Senior Duston Daugherty was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while sophomore Will Fulmer went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a pair of walks.

Senior Chris Ross, a Pelham High School graduate, drove in three runs while going 1-for-2 with three runs scored, a homerun, four walks and a hit by pitch. Senior Josh Headley was a perfect 2-for-2 as a pinch hitter with a hit by pitch.

On the mound, junior Nathan Flanagan got the start and went three innings with a strikeout and four walks. He allowed four runs, all of which were unearned.

Junior Devon Davis pitched the next 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts, a pair of walks and one unearned run given up. Sophomore Hunter Stevens took over but didn’t get credit for any innings pitched as he walked one and gave up three unearned runs. Senior Drew Boyer pitched the next 2 1/3 innings and struck out one and walked one while giving up one run.

The final pitcher was sophomore Edward Brandsema, who pitched the final two innings with three strikeouts, two walks and a run given up. Brandsema took home the win to improve his record to 2-0.

The Falcons jumped out to the quick two run lead in the first inning as Ross hit a two-run homerun to right field, which scored junior Austin Dubberly, a Pelham High School graduate, who had reached on a walk. The Tigers responded with four runs in the bottom half off of two hits and five Montevallo errors.

Montevallo cut West Alabama’s lead to just one run in the second inning as Ross picked up a bases-loaded walk. The Falcons tied the game in the fifth inning as Fulmer hit an RBI single to right field, which scored Daugherty, who had led off the inning with a single up the middle.

Montevallo took the lead in the sixth inning as Peterson and Ross scored on an error by the second baseman. The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the inning as they scored four runs on three hits and two more Montevallo errors.

The Tigers tacked on another run in the seventh inning on a pair of hits.