FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo baseball team lost in dramatic fashion in a 3-2 setback to the University of Southern Indiana in the finale of a three-game series Feb. 27.

The Falcons (8-6) led the game 2-0 before runs in the fifth and seventh innings by Southern Indiana, which entered the series ranked No. 24 in the latest Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll, tied the game at 2-2. With one out and runners on first and second base in the ninth inning, the Screaming Eagles appeared to ground out to the shortstop before the call was later overturned to make it bases loaded with just one out. The next batter hit a single to right field t0 score the winning run and end the game.

The Falcons were led by junior Heath Peterson, who went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. The Falcons’ lone RBI came off the bat of junior Josh Headley, who was 1-for-4 with a double.

Freshman Alex Guilford got the start on the mound for the Falcons and pitched eight complete innings while striking out seven and walking just one. Guilford gave up just six hits and one earned run. Junior Wes Rich, a Pelham graduate, pitched the next 1/3 of an inning and took home the loss as he walked one batter and gave up a hit. The final Montevallo pitcher was senior Scottie Deason, a Spain Park graduate, who gave up a hit.

Montevallo scored first in the third inning. Junior Blaine Rosenberg, an Oak Mountain graduate, led off the inning with a walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved him to second base and a groundout moved him to third, Headley hit an RBI double to left center to put the Falcons up 1-0.

The Falcons tacked on another run in the fourth inning, as Peterson scored on a throwing error by the first baseman. Southern Indiana scored a run in the fifth inning and then another in the seventh inning, which set up the ninth-inning drama.