FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo baseball team went toe-to-toe with the University of West Georgia and came out on top after 10 innings, 10-8, following a walk-off homer by junior Vincent Andrews in a non-conference game Feb. 22.

The Falcons (4-8) and Wolves exchanged leads throughout the game, but in the end it came down to Andrews, who hit a two-out, two-run homerun to lift the Falcons in extra innings.

Andrews was 3-for-6 on the day with two runs scored and two RBIs. Senior Chris Ross, a Pelham High School graduate, led the team going 3-for-4 at the plate with two homeruns, five RBIs and two runs scored.

Junior Austin Dubberly, a Pelham High School graduate, was 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and two hit by pitches. Sophomore Will Fulmer was 2-for-6 with two runs scored. Freshman Vinny Rodriguez picked up an RBI, while sophomore Alec Stiver drove in a pair of runs with a homerun.

Sophomore Alex Guilford got the start on the mound and went three innings with four hits given up. He allowed two unearned runs and did not have a strikeout.

Senior Drew Boyer pitched the next inning with three hits and two runs given up. Junior Kincaid Koehler pitched the next inning while walking one and giving up one hit and one run. Junior Nathan Flanagan pitched the next two innings while striking out three and walking two. He allowed a pair of runs but just one was earned. Junior Kameron Heiser pitched the next inning and gave up a hit and an unearned run. The final pitcher was sophomore Edward Brandsema, who pitched the final two innings with a strikeout and just one hit given up. He took home the win, improving his record to 1-0.

West Georgia struck first in the game as they plated a pair of runs in the second thanks to a pair of Montevallo errors. The Falcons responded with a run in the third as Ross sent an RBI single up the middle to score Fulmer.  The Wolves increased their lead in the fourth inning as they scored two more runs off of three hits. Montevallo cut the lead to just one run in the bottom half as Rodriguez walked and was brought home by a homerun from Stiver.

Montevallo took the lead in the fifth inning as Ross hit a two-run homerun and then Rodriguez hit a single through the right side to score senior Heath Peterson, who had reached on a double.

West Georgia tied the game in the sixth inning with a pair of runs off a homerun. The Wolves then took the lead in the seventh as a pair of Montevallo errors led to a run. Montevallo tied the game in the bottom half as Ross hit a solo homerun.

The Wolves retook the lead in the eighth as another Montevallo error led to a run. The Falcons tied the game in the ninth as Ross hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Andrews who led off the inning with a single.

After Brandsema produced a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the top of the 10th inning it came down to the Falcons’ bats in the bottom half. Montevallo opened the inning with a groundout and a strikeout but Fulmer lit a spark as he singled up the middle to extend the inning. Andrews then stepped to the plate and hit an opposite field homerun just over the left field fence to end the game.

The Falcons will return to action this Saturday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. as they host Francis Marion University in a Peach Belt Conference contest.