MONTEVALLO, Ala. – The University of West Georgia baseball team suffered a 7-5 setback in its Gulf South Conference series opener against Montevallo on Saturday evening at Bob Riesener Stadium.

The Wolves (2-2, 2-2 GSC) had their chances in the late innings, but couldn't get the timely hit against Falcon reliever Chandler Ingram, who fired the final 2.2 innings and fended off UWG rallies in each of the final three frames.

Trailing 7-4 entering the seventh, West Georgia brought the tying run to the plate with one out, but was unable to capitalize. In the eighth, junior shortstop Joseph Hill roped a two-out double to get into scoring position and was left stranded. The Wolves loaded the bases in the ninth and were able to scratch a run across when sophomore designated hitter Joe Skinner reached on a two-out error, but Ingram was able to record a flyout to left field for the final out.

In all, the Wolves stranded 10 base-runners against the Falcons (2-2, 2-2), who allowed three unearned runs on four errors in the series opener.

The Falcons manufactured a run in the bottom of the second without the benefit of a hit against UWG starter Robert Coleman on a hit batsman, stolen base, sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly for the 1-0 lead.

West Georgia answered with a pair of runs in the top of the third on an RBI sacrifice fly by second baseman Brody Wortham and an RBI double by sophomore designated hitter Jacob Holton.

But Montevallo put up a 3-spot in the home half of the third on one hit and an error, as freshman left fielder Asa Awbrey, a local product out of Carrollton High School, stroked a two-out, two-run single for the 4-2 lead for the host squad.

The Wolves pulled even on a two-run blast in the top of the fifth by senior first baseman Dan Oberst for his third hit of the game.

The Falcons regained the lead on one swing of the bat with right fielder Riley Cain connecting on a leadoff home run in the home half of the fifth. Montevallo added another run in the fifth and one more in the sixth for the three-run lead.

Coleman tossed 4.1 innings of work, yielding six runs, five earned, on six hits with one walk and one strikeout. Sophomore Ezra Brown tossed 3.2 innings of relief, allowing no earned runs on three hits with two walks and four punchouts.

Offensively, Oberst (3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI) and Wortham (2-for-3, BB, sac fly, run, RBI) had multiple-hit efforts for the Wolves.

West Georgia will look to rebound with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday back at Bob Riesener Stadium.