April 20, 2010
Box
Score
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - An early
10-2 lead was not enough to get past Austin Peay on Tuesday night
at Raymond C. Hand Park, as the Bruins fell 17-14.
After scoring 10 or more runs
in the last two games the Bruins picked up right where they left
off, scoring 10 runs in the first three innings to take a 10-2
lead. But the offensive tide shifted as a six-run sixth inning
enabled Austin Peay to take a go-ahead 13-12 lead.
In the first inning the Bruins
led-off with three consecutive hits, including a two-run double
from junior Derek Hamblen, to
take a 3-0 lead. Belmont squeezed out three two-out runs in the
second, taking advantage of three Governor errors. Four straight
base hits in the third inning led to four runs for the Bruins and a
10-2 lead.
After the top of the fourth
inning the Bruins were outscored 15-4 to finish the game. Much of
the Governor offense ran through John Hogan (4-4, 2 RBI, 2 runs)
and Matt Kole who had five RBI and three runs scored with four
hits.
But before the final out the
Bruins would not be denied a comeback.
With two runners on base in
the top of the eighth inning, junior Tim Egerton seemingly
hit a three-run homerun deep to centerfield. But a base-running
mishap retired Egerton on the base paths, while advancing the two
other runners home - putting Belmont within three at
14-17.
As Egerton was rounding first
base he passed Elkins, who was waiting to see if the ball would
scale the fence or be caught by the centerfielder. Egerton was
credited with a two-run single, while the put out was give to the
first baseman, unassisted.
The Bruin pitching staff used
a season-high eight pitchers and gave up a season-high 17 runs on
the staff day. Freshman Ross Beach (0-1)
pitched one inning, allowing one run, to receive the loss. APSU's
Jeremy Dobbs (1-0) was credited with the win, as Zach Gerler got
his seventh save of the season.
Five Bruins finished with
multi-hit games, including Egerton's 3-for-5 performance which tied
a career-high of five runs batted in for the second time. The
junior from Smyrna, Tenn., also set a team-season-high by stealing
three bases.
Hamblen scored three runs, and
drove in two on two doubles which increased his season doubles
total to a team-leading 18. Zeblo finished with three hits, two
RBI, and two runs scored.
The Bruins return to Atlantic
Sun Conference play this weekend in a trip to Fort Myers, Fla., to
face Florida Gulf Coast. The three-game series begins on Friday at
5:30 p.m. CT.
