March 27, 2010
Game 1: Belmont 8, USC
Upstate 5 | Box
Score
Game 2: USC Upstate 3, Belmont 1 | Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont baseball split a
doubleheader with USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon, but captured
its second straight conference series behind an improved starting
rotation.
It is the third straight
season that Belmont (15-10, 4-5 A-Sun) has taken the regular season
series from USC Upstate (8-18, 1-8) in two-of-three
games.
Freshman left-handed pitcher
Chase
Brookshire (4-0) started game one and remained undefeated in
decisions after eight innings, seven strikeouts, two walks, and two
runs allowed.
"Chase has been so consistent
the entire year," Head Coach David Jarvis said.
"His demeanor is outstanding on the mound - he doesn't get too high
or too low emotionally when things may or may not being going his
way. With his execution rate being as high as it is that doubles
his opportunity for success."
Sophomore Dylan Craig went
3-for-7 in both games to extend his hitting streak to 17
games.
In game one the Bruins took
advantage of four free bases from the Spartans in the first inning
to take a 2-0 lead and never looking. The two runs were driven in
after Tim
Egerton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, and Dane Swinehart
drew a walk.
USC Upstate gave up a
season-high 11 walks, as the Belmont career walks leader Packy Elkins' drew
bases-on-balls in his first three at bats.
Craig's hitting streak was
officially extended to 16 games with a double down the left field
line to score Elkins in the second inning. Craig finished game one
2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored.
Tim Egerton and Nate Woods each
contributed two RBI in the game one victory.
Belmont was held to one run in
the second game as right-handed pitcher Matt Branham (2-2) tossed a
complete-game (140 pitches) to give the Spartans their first
conference win of the season.
Despite the 1-3 series finale
loss, the Bruins had another consistent outing from a starting
pitcher as Frank Adelman (0-1)
went seven innings with two strikeouts while allowing two earned
runs.
The Bruins conclude a stretch
of 21 of the first 26 games at home in a rematch with Murray State
on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Shelby Park. In the first meeting of the
season, the Bruins defeated the Thoroughbreds, 8-6, in Murray,
Ky.
