Pacers find two ways to beat Falcons

Nick Aranas celebrates after a double in the second inning of the Pacers' 12-3 victory over Montevallo Friday. Staff photo by Eric Russell.

Game 1

Junior pitcher Ryan Milewski entered the first game of Friday's doubleheader with Montevallo in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out. The right-hander went on to calmly retire the next three batters in the inning and escape the jam while only giving up one run on a sac fly. Milewski completed the game without allowing a hit en route to a 4-2 win for USCA (7-1).

Coach Kenny Thomas said Milewski did just what the team needed him to do. "He came in and shut them down when we were in a jam," Thomas said. "I couldn't have asked for more because that inning could've been worse."

Thomas added that the pitching by starter Derek Beasley was good as well. "He only got in trouble once, and that was the sixth," Thomas said. Beasley pitched five innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out four.

The Pacers were the first to score in the game, when J.J. Loker scored on an error by third baseman Will Fulmer in the third inning.

Montevallo scored the tying run in the fifth inning and the go-ahead run in the sixth. The lead was short lived as the Pacers regained the lead an inning later. The seventh inning started with Bill Gerstenslager reaching on an error. Nick Aranas then singled for his second hit of the game. Montevallo pitcher Michael Shreves hit Tyler Bourdo with the next pitch to load the bases. Ty Barkell stepped to the plate and singled up the middle, scoring Gerstenslager and Aranas. The Pacers tacked on another run in the eighth.

Game 2

While the Pacers won their first game because of the pitching down the stretch, their 12-3 victory in the second game was much different.

The Pacers wasted no time putting runs on the scoreboard in game two: seven of the team's 12 runs were scored in the first two innings.

The Pacers' aggressive base running was a major factor in their early run production. The Pacers stole four bases in the three-run first inning. The inning started with a Branden Millhouse single. Millhouse then stole second and advanced to third on a Stephen Carmon groundout. Josh Miller drove Millhouse in on a single. After a Gerstenslager walk, Miller went on to score on the first of Aranas' four hits in the game. Gerstenslager scored on an error after a Bourdo ground ball.

However, the Pacers' offensive onslaught and aggressive base running didn't stop there. In the second inning, the Pacers plated four more runs. Stephen Bellantoni singled to right field to kick off the inning. Branden Millhouse used his speed to reach first base on a bunt. He advanced to second when Bellantoni was caught stealing third. After a sac fly the Pacers' pulled off one of the more daring moves in baseball as Millhouse successfully stole home on a double steal.

The base running by the Pacers seemed to rattle Montevallo starter Alex Guilford. He went on to give up back-to-back hits, scoring two runs. Guilford then was called for a costly balk that moved Aranas to third. Bourdo singled down the right field line to score Aranas and give the Pacers a 7-0 lead.

Thomas said the steal of home is a play they will call if "every part of the right scenario is in place." He also stated that he has been wanting to get the running game going for some time.

"I've been talking to the coaches and team about getting the running game going," Thomas said. "We cant just stand up there and bang the ball in every game. We need our running game to get going to have a more complete offense."

Montevallo had an opportunity to close the gap in the seventh inning when reliever Thomas Mcleod worked his way into a bases loaded jam with one out. He retired the next two batters to preserve the shutout.

In the bottom of the seventh Miller hit a three-run home run to pad the lead for the Pacers. Two more runs were scored in the eighth.

The Falcons' only runs came in the top of the ninth. Trey Preston walked four straight batters in his brief relief appearance to give Montevallo its first run. The Falcons scored two more runs before Christian Stutts finished the game.

Nine Pacers got hits in the game, including Aranas who finished with four on the day.

The final game of the series will be today at noon.