OXFORD, Ala. | The University of Alabama in Huntsville baseball team started off the 2022 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championships with a 5-3 win over third-seeded Montevallo on Friday afternoon at Choccolocco Park. UAH improves to 26-23, while UM slides to 36-15.
 
UAH moves on to play the winner of No. 2 seed Valdosta State and No. 7 seed West Florida on Saturday. Tomorrow's game will start following the conclusion of the 10 a.m. contest.
 
Senior Tyler Self dealt an outstanding performance on the mound, as the right-hander worked 9.0 innings with five hits allowed, three earned runs and nine strikeouts. He improves to 7-5 on the season.
 
The Chargers offense registered 14 base hits overall against the Falcons, led by Mitchell Rottier, Jackson Lindsey, Colin Brewer, Brennan Vasquez and Griffin Rivers with two hits each.
 
Rivers and Hunter tied for the team lead with two RBI apiece in the game, with Rivers notching a solo home run and Hunter posting an RBI triple as part of their performances.
 
Brewer and Vasquez both had a double in the game to give UAH four extra-base hits total on Friday.
 
Montevallo went ahead early with a solo home run by Jake Smallwood in the first, but UAH would tie it in the top of the second when Hunter's sacrifice flyout drew in Vasquez from third.
 
Self helped keep the game in check at a 1-1 tie through the sixth inning, until UAH took a 2-1 advantage on Rivers' third home run of the season – a solo shot – in the seventh.
 
The Chargers went on to rally for three runs in the top of the eighth to extend the lead to 5-1, as Hunter, Carson Villalta, and Rivers each notched consecutive RBI base hits.
 
Montevallo cut into UAH's lead with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the eighth by Ben Teel to make it a two-run game, but Self would finish off the game for the 5-3 victory.
 
This was UAH's second GSC tournament matchup with Montevallo, as the program is amidst its 20th GSC tournament appearance.