Suggs & Lott Combine to Shutout Montevallo; Canes Split DH

Suggs & Lott Combine to Shutout Montevallo; Canes Split DH

AMERICUS - The term "Game 2" held significance on multiple fronts for the Georgia Southwestern baseball team on Friday afternoon in a doubleheader split with Montevallo at Hurricane Stadium.

First, Game 2 of the twin bill proved to be one of the squad's most complete games of the season as the Hurricanes posted a 6-0 victory over the Falcons. Second, the win was GSW's first shutout since Game 2 of the season when the Hurricanes defeated Barry, 7-0.

Montevallo won the series opener, 6-2.

With the split, the Hurricanes record sits at 11-33 overall and 8-20 in Peach Belt Conference play. Montevallo is 23-22 overall and 16-13 in the PBC.

The weekend series wraps up tomorrow at noon.

GAME 1: GSW 2, MONTEVALLO 6

The visiting Falcons doubled GSW's hit total in the opener (10-5), but it took three runs over the final three innings to create some comfortable separation for Montevallo's 6-2 win.

Montevallo scored a run in the second and another in the fourth to jump out to a 2-0 lead.

The Hurricanes manufactured their first run in the bottom of the fifth when Corey Benson walked to open the inning, Jarrod Taylor doubled to move Benson to third and Blane Parker grounded out to the shortstop to plate Benson.

The Falcons pushed their lead back to a pair of runs in the sixth when Chris Ross tripled to open the inning and Vinny Rodriguez brought him home with a sacrifice fly on the next at bat.

GSW matched Montevallo with a run in the bottom half of the inning. Les Cromer scored Randall Sheffield on a sacrifice fly.

Not to be outdone, Montevallo notched yet another sacrifice fly in the seventh, making the score 4-2.

The Falcons final two runs came in the ninth.

Benson and Taylor led GSW at the plate by recording two hits apiece.

Ross and Will Fulmer collected two hits apiece for Montevallo.

Hurricane starter Frank Ambrosino (4-3) pitched seven innings, allowed four runs - two earned - while walking one and striking out two. Trent Franzago threw the final two frames, walked two and struck out four.

Michael Shreves (5-4) picked up the win for Montevallo after tossing eight solid innings. Shreves scattered four hits, allowed two runs, walked three and struck out three. Wes Rich pitched a scoreless ninth.

GAME 2: GSW 6, MONTEVALLO 0

Matthew Suggs and Justin Lott combined to post the Hurricanes second shutout of the spring. But it wasn't all pitching for Southwestern in Game 2 as five GSW batters recorded multiple hits.

GSW struck early when a leadoff walk and three-consecutive singles led to a pair of runs in the first.

The Hurricanes added a run in the third and another in the fourth before Jarrod Taylor delivered a two-run single in the fifth to put the game out of reach.

Taylor, Randall Sheffield, Zach Moss, Gabby Ramirez and Les Cromer had two hits apiece for Southwestern.

Will Fulmer went 2-for-4 to lead Montevallo.

Suggs (3-8) scattered three hits over his six innings of work while walking five and striking out four. Lott allowed two hits over his three innings on the hill to earn his second save of the spring. He walked one and struck out one.

Montevallo starter Nathan Flanagan (1-2) lasted three innings after allowing seven hits and four runs. Chase Cameron pitched three innings and surrendered two runs. Devon Davis came on to hold GSW scoreless over the final two frames.