FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo baseball team shocked North Georgia College and State University, which entered the Peach Belt Conference series March 18 ranked No. 11 in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll, 6-5 in the series opener.

The Falcons (12-12 overall, 2-5 in Peach Belt Conference) scored six runs over the first four innings and had just enough pitching to hang on in the end.

Montevallo was led by juniors Blaine Rosenberg, an Oak Mountain graduate, and Chris Ross, a Pelham graduate, along with freshman Will Fulmer, who all had two hits in the game.

Rosenberg was 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a hit by pitch. Ross was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Fulmer was 2-for-4 with a double.

Sophomore Austin Dubberly, a Pelham graduate, provided the biggest hit of the night with a bases-clearing three-run double. Junior Heath Peterson drove in two runs, including one off a sacrifice fly. The only other RBI came from sophomore Devon Davis, who was 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored.

Sophomore Will Dismukes started the game on the mound for the Falcons and went 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks. Dismukes allowed just one run off of seven hits and took home the victory, improving his record to 3-3 on the year.

Senior Joey Noro and junior Wes Rich, a Pelham graduate, combined to pitch the final 2 1/3 innings and held the Saints scoreless with the Falcons clinging to a one-run lead.

Noro pitched 1 1/3 innings with a strikeout and a walk and didn’t allow a hit. Rich pitched the final inning while holding the Saints hitless and collecting his second save of the season.

Freshman Edward Brandsema and junior Brett Roney pitched the other 1 1/3 innings while striking out one batter each. They each gave up a hit and a pair of unearned runs.

Montevallo opened the scoring in the first inning as Peterson hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Ross, who had reached on a single earlier in the inning. The Falcons tacked on another run in the third inning as Peterson hit an RBI single up the middle to score senior Scott Deason, a Spain Park graduate, who had reached on a hit by pitch to open up the inning.

The Saints scored a single run in the fourth inning off a pair of hits. Montevallo responded with four runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning.

Davis opened the scoring with a double down the left-field line, which plated Rosenberg, who had doubled down the left-field line just prior to Davis’ at bat. After a walk and a single loaded the bases, Dubberly hit a two-out three-run double to left-center field to score Ross, Deason and Davis.

It was all the run support the Falcons’ pitching staff needed, as the Saints scored four runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead to one run. Montevallo’s bullpen held strong in the final two innings to help the Falcons capture their first victory over the Saints since the 2006 season.

The Falcons will return to action March 19 for the final two games in the three-game series.