FROM STAFF REPORTS

CLEVELAND, Miss. – The University of Montevallo baseball team dropped its series opener against top-ranked Delta State University 11-1 in the first game of a three-game series Feb. 8.

Delta State, ranked No. 1 in the preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association NCAA Division II poll, racked up 11 runs on 16 hits in their season opener.

“Delta State is a very good ball club and we didn’t play well in any area of the game,” said Montevallo coach Chandler Rose. Tomorrow’s a new day and we’ll find out a lot about our club. We need to come out with some fight and passion tomorrow like we did last weekend.”

Montevallo (3-2) managed one run on six hits.

Junior Todd Thompson led the Falcons as he finished 2-for-4 at the plate and scored one run.

Sophomore Vinny Rodriguez went 1-for-3 at the plate and drove in one run. Junior Will Fulmer finished 1-for-2 at the plate. Sophomore Zack Willoughby went 1-for-3 at the plate, while junior Jackson Slaid finished 1-for-4 at the plate.

Senior starter Michael Shreves took the loss after giving up four earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks in four innings on the mound.

Senior Devon Davis allowed three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk in one inning in relief. Freshman Brandon Marshall gave up three earned runs on three hits with two walks in 1/3 of an inning, while freshman Taylor Burr allowed one unearned run on one hit with one walk in the final 1 2/3 innings.

Montevallo took a 1-0 lead in the top half of the first inning.

Thompson led off the game with an infield single before advancing to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Fulmer. Thompson came around to score on a RBI single to left-center field by Rodriguez.

Delta State answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead.

The first five batters in the inning reached base. Ben Kingsley, Tyler Aldridge and Carlos Leal each had an RBI single in the inning. Kingsley scored on a fielder’s choice to shortstop by Brent Langston.

The Statesmen added three runs in both the bottom of the fifth inning and bottom of the seventh inning before posting a final run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Jami Rachal and Josh Crowdus each drove in runs for Delta State with extra-base hits in the fifth inning. Rachal sparked a three-run seventh inning with his RBI single. Ricky Velez singled in the eighth inning and scored the final run for Delta State on a bases-loaded walk.

The Falcons face Delta State in the final two games of the three-game series Saturday, Feb. 9, with first pitch in the second game of the series set for noon. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday due to an inclement weather forecast on Sunday.