HUNTSVILLE, Ala.— The Montreat College baseball team traveled to northern Alabama on Friday for the start of a four-game nonconference series against the Oakwood University Ambassadors. Behind strong pitching performances in both seven-inning contests, the Cavaliers came away with a pair of 7-0 and 9-1 victories. With the wins, the Cavs moved to 3-3 on the year, while OU starts the season at 0-2 overall.
 
Montreat started well thanks to a three-run first inning. Cameron Nagel and Justin Austin each walked and were brought home by Matthew Brunner's double. Zachary Long added a sacrifice fly, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead through one.
 
In the fourth inning, the Cavaliers extended their lead when Jason Brulport reached base safely and later scored on Luis Mota's RBI groundout, making it 4-0. The team continued to pressure Oakwood, capitalizing on defensive miscues.
 
The sixth inning saw Montreat widen its advantage further. Tommy Ramos and Hunter Furches both reached early in the frame, setting the stage for a pair of runs. Jack Weisman secured an RBI during the inning, helping push the score to 6-0 in favor of the away team.
 
Bryton Williams excelled on the mound, pitching five frames and striking out 10 while allowing only two hits. Relief pitchers Ethan Caldwell and Jayden Hughes maintained the shutout, contributing to the Cavs' commanding performance.
 
In the seventh, Brunner notched his second double of the ballgame. The Brick Township, N.J. native eventually came around on Ramos' RBI single, finalizing the score at 7-0.
 
Thanks to his dominant outing, Williams managed to pick up his first win as a Cavalier in just his second start. Caldwell punched out two batters in his inning of relief, while Hughes struck out one Ambassador.
 
Brunner posted a solid performance, scoring two runs and hitting two doubles, while also adding an RBI. Nagel showcased his speed by stealing two bases and scoring one run. Ramos contributed with two hits, one run and one stolen base, and he also added an RBI to his tally.
 
Game two also featured a quick start for the visitors, this time with Montreat plating four runs during the top of the first. Nagel and Dawson Bryant drew a walk and a hit-by-pitch, respectively, before an error during Brunner's at-bat sent Nagel home. Just two batters later, Daniel Restrepo launched a three-run blast that extended the edge to 4-0.
 
Nagel did all the heavy lifting himself in the second frame, tacking on an insurance run for the Cavs. After recording his second walk in as many innings, the Lemont, Ill. native proceeded to steal second, third and home. With his mad dash around the bases, Nagel jolted Montreat's advantage up to five runs through two.
 
The contest remained scoreless for the next four innings as the Cavaliers maintained their lead with effective pitching and clean defense. Ja'Lan Chambers delivered a standout performance on the bump, pitching five innings and allowing only one hit while striking out nine.
 
In the seventh inning, Montreat sealed its victory with another four-run surge. Ramos opened the frame with a solo shot prior to Restrepo and Kaden Ethier being plunked by pitches. An error allowed both Cavs to cross home plate, and Wilmer Bolivar came around moments later via Connor Goff's sac fly.
 
Oakwood managed to score its only run of the game in the bottom of the seventh, but it was not enough to overcome the visitors' dominance. The afternoon concluded with Montreat securing a 9-1 victory, sweeping the twin bill in the process.
 
Rhett Yurko pitched one inning of relief after Chambers' start, allowing no hits or earned runs despite walking one and hitting two batters. Parker Lovering also pitched a frame, conceding two hits and one earned run while striking out a pair.
 
Restrepo scored two runs and drove in three with a homer, contributing significantly to the squad's performance. Ramos tallied a home run as well, one of his two hits in game two. Nagel reached base multiple times, scoring twice and swiping three bags, displaying aggression on the base paths.
 
The Montreat College baseball team resumes its four-game set with the Oakwood University Ambassadors on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 12 p.m. EST.