Falcons end season with loss to USC-Aiken

Published 2:23 pm Friday, May 11, 2012

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo baseball team ended its 2012 season with a 7-5 loss to the University of South Carolina in Aiken in the Peach Belt Conference tournament consolation bracket May 11.

USC-Aiken starter Derek Beasley earned the win after walking four and allowing three earned runs on two hits in seven innings pitched. Thomas McCleod was credited with his second save of the season after striking out one, walking one and allowing one earned run on two hits in three innings pitched.

Montevallo’s Devon Davis suffered the loss, striking out two, walking one and allowing three unearned runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings pitched.

With bases loaded and one out in the first inning, Montevallo (25-28) took a 2-0 lead on back-to-back, bases-loaded walks that plated Will Fulmer and Vincente Andrews. In all, Beasley registered four walks and hit two batters before striking out the final two to get out of the inning.

USC-Aiken finally got on the board in the fifth inning and took a 3-2 lead on an RBI double by Stephen Carmon and a pair of RBI singles from Bryce Baur and Josh Miller.

The Pacers stretched their advantage to 4-2 in the sixth when Ty Barkell’s single scored Nick Aranas.

Fulmer’s solo homer in the seventh cut the Pacer lead to 4-3.

But USC-Aiken came right back in the bottom of the inning  and increased its lead to 6-3 after Aranas’ two-RBI double sent Will Tankersley and Carmon home.

Montevallo rallied in the eighth and made it 6-4 when Austin Dubberly, a Pelham High School graduate, singled, advanced to second on Josh Headley’s single and later scored on a fielder’s choice coupled with a throwing error.

The Pacers responded with one run in the bottom of the inning to go up 7-4 when Baur, who reached on a bunt single, later scored when Montevallo second baseman Fulmer dropped an infield pop fly with two outs.

The Falcons scored their final run in the ninth on Andrews’ solo homer over the right field wall.

For USC-Aiken, Carmon batted 3-for-5, Aranas 2-for-3 and Baur 2-for-5.

Dubberly went 2-for-3 for Montevallo.