GREENWOOD, S.C. – Eighth-seed Montevallo upset the nationally top-ranked/Peach Belt Conference top-seeded University of South Carolina Aiken baseball team in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament on Wednesday evening.

The loss means that No. 1 USC Aiken (41-10) will now next face off against fifth-seeded UNC Pembroke (36-15) in a Peach Belt Conference Tournament elimination game at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 at Dolny Stadium.

Montevallo (32-18) with the win advances to face fourth-seeded and tournament host Lander (35-14) at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.

Montevallo closed out its win over the nationally top-ranked Pacers owning a slight 9-6 advantage in hits.

First-Team All-Peach Belt Conference selection Ty Barkell (Denver, Colo./Palmer Ridge HS) led the Pacers in the game with two hits. He also had an RBI.

First-Team All-Peach Belt Conference choice Bryce Baur (Moncks Corner, S.C./Florence-Darlington Tech) had two RBIs for the Pacers in the game. He also scored a run.

Montevallo's Vinny Rodriquez finished the Falcon win 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Peach Belt Conference First-Team selection Derek Beasley (Harlem, Ga./Harlem HS) suffered his first loss of the year in the game. Beasley pitched 5.1 innings, fanning five. He is now 9-1 on the year.

Josh Clemen picked up the win for Montevallo in the game. He struck out five in improving to 5-3 on the year.

Montevallo's Cody Hughes pitched a scoreless ninth to obtain his ninth save of the year.

Montevallo never trailed in the game. USC Aiken looked as if it may tie the game or take the lead in the bottom of the sixth as shortly after a Baur ground-rule RBI double that made the game 4-2 the Pacers loaded the bases with no outs. The Pacers would not be able to scratch another run across in the inning though to leave Montevallo on top, 4-2.

USC Aiken would score two more in the bottom of the eighth, but it would not enough in Montevallo's three-run victory.

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