FROM STAFF REPORTS

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The University of Montevallo baseball team fell on the road at the University of North Georgia 6-5 in extra innings in the final game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series April 21.

North Georgia used a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to send the game into extra innings before a RBI single by Kevin Krupp in the bottom of the 12^th inning gave the Saints a walk-off victory over the Falcons, who entered the series ranked No. 27 in the College Baseball Lineup NCAA Division II poll.

Junior Jackson Slaid led Montevallo (29-16 overall, 15-12 in Peach Belt Conference) offensively as he finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a homer. Slaid drove in two runs and scored one run in the victory.

Freshmen Thomas Bradey went 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in one run. Brandon Marshall finished 2-for-5 at the plate and scored one run. Senior Austin Dubberly finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles and scored one run. Fellow senior Andrew Hill went 1-for-4 at the plate with a double and scored one run.

Freshman Michael Simmons finished 1-for-4 at the plate. Junior Will Fulmer went 1-for-6 at the plate and scored one run. Sophomore Vinny Rodriguez and freshman Jeremy Hyde drove in one run each.

Senior Devon Davis (3-1) was tagged with loss after giving up one earned run on two hits with one walk in 1/3 of an inning in relief.

Junior starter Josh Clemen gave up three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 5 2/3 innings on the mound.

Junior Edward Brandsema allowed just one hit with one walk in 1 1/3 innings in relief. Freshman Cody Hughesgave up two runs, including one earned run, on five hits with a season-high seven strikeouts and four walks in four innings in relief.

The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning in the final game of the series when Fulmer led off the game with a single to left field before scoring on a RBI sacrifice fly to center field by Rodriguez.

Montevallo plated two more runs in the top of the second inning to push its lead to 3-0.

Hill, who reached on a walk, came around to score on a RBI single through the right side of the infield by Bradey. Marshall, who singled in the inning, scored on a fielder’s choice RBI by Hyde.

North Georgia cut the deficit to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Derek Hooper, who doubled to right-center field, and Tremayne Toorie, who reached on an infield single, came around to score on a two-run single up the middle by Travis Naraine.

The Falcons pushed their lead to 4-2 with a run in the top of the sixth inning when Slaid blasted a solo homer down the left-field line.

The Saints trimmed the deficit to 4-3 with a run in the bottom half of the frame when Brett Wright, who singled to center field, scored on a bases-loaded walk issued by Brandsema later in the inning.

Montevallo took a 5-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning when Dubberly led off with a double to left-center field and scored on a RBI single through the left side of the infield.

North Georgia scored two runs during a two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 5-5.

Krupp, who started the rally when he reached on a walk, advanced to second base on a wild pitch and scored on a RBI single up the middle by Wright. Wright advanced to second base on a passed ball and came around to score on an error by the Falcons.

Other than a leadoff double by Dubberly in the top of the 10^th inning before an inning-ending double play later in the inning, the Falcons weren’t able to muster much of a scoring threat in the extra innings.

North Georgia plated the winning run in the bottom of the 12^th inning when Toorie led off the frame with a triple down the left-field line before scoring on a walk-off RBI single to left-center field by Krupp.

The Falcons return to action Wednesday, April 24 as they look for a home-and-away series sweep against the University of West Alabama at Kermit A. Johnson Field. Montevallo will honor four seniors, including Hill, Dubberly, Davis and Michael Shreves, before the game.

First pitch is set for 5 p.m.