April 16, 2010
Game 1: Belmont 1, Florida Gulf Coast 2: Box Score
Game 2: Belmont 4, Florida Gulf Coast 11: Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont Bruins (7-37-0, 3-11) dropped two games to conference foe Florida Gulf Coast (22-26-0, 10-6) in their Friday double header at Aquinas Field. Belmont had a chance to take the win in game one with runners on second and third in the final inning, but were unable to advance them home and surrendered the game by a score of 2-1. Early struggles plagued the Bruins in game two as Florida Gulf Coast jumped on them early en route to an 11-4 victory.
Florida Gulf Coast scored the first run of the game in the third inning. After freshman Chelsea Yates stole second and third, senior Lauran Ziegler beat out a throw from the Bruins shortstop to bring in Yates from third base.
Belmont responded in the bottom of the fifth inning when junior Kelley Cash (Hudson, Ohio) laid down a squeeze bunt that enabled sophomore Amanda Buntin (Brentwood, Tenn.) to slide home from third base.
The Eagles put another run on the board in the sixth inning when a single with two outs allowed an Eagle runner to come home from second base.
Belmont was able to get the leadoff hitter on base in the bottom of the seventh inning when sophomore Stayci Cook (Tecumseh, Mich.) drew a walk. Pinch runner Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.) advanced to third base after junior Kelley Cash's single to left field.
Cash subsequently stole second to put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but the Eagles forced a pop up to center field to hold on to their one run lead.
In the game, Belmont out hit the Eagles four hits to three.
In the second game of the double header, Florida Gulf Coast jumped on top of Belmont early. After advancing a runner to third base, Florida Gulf Coast brought the runner home on a ground ball to the second baseman.
The Eagles added four more runs in the second inning. After loading the bases, a wild pitch brought the first run of the inning across the plate. Shortly thereafter, senior Lauran Ziegler homered to bring the final three runs of the inning across the plate.
Florida Gulf Coast plated two more runs in the fourth innings when freshman Brittany Baker knocked a home run over the center field wall.
Belmont did their best to claw back into the game in the fifth inning. With the bases loaded, sophomore Ashley Byers hit her ninth home run of the season to bring the Bruins to within three runs of the Eagles.
The Eagles padded the three run lead in the sixth inning by adding three more runs to the board. The first came on a sacrifice fly that scored a runner from third base. The final two came via a two run home run off the bat of freshman Mariah Hernandez.
Florida Gulf Coast added another run in the seventh inning when a sacrifice fly brought in another run from third base.
Belmont would not draw any closer in the bottom of the seventh inning and the game ended with an 11-4 Florida Gulf Coast victory.
The Bruins will be back in action tomorrow in another conference matchup with Stetson at Aquinas Field at noon. Stetson boasts one of the strongest pitchers in the Atlantic Sun, Amanda Lindsey.
“[If we want to get a result against Stetson], we're going to have to capitalize with runners on base,” said Coach Kuhlmeyer after the game. “Amanda [Lindsley] is a good pitcher. When we get runners on base, we have got to execute on offense to drive in those runs.”
