April 24, 2010
Box
Score
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Four runs
in the third inning proved to be the difference for Florida Gulf
Coast to defeat Belmont on Saturday afternoon at Swanson Stadium,
6-3.
Junior Tim Egerton hit his
fifth homerun of the season to drive in two runs in the second
inning which tied the game at two. The Smyrna, Tenn., native
answered FGCU's two-run homerun in the first inning by Tim
Roberson.
FGCU scored four runs in the
third inning, including a three-run double, to regain the lead at
6-2. After a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt, Mikel Alvarez
took advantage of a runner in scoring position with a RBI single to
untie the game, 3-2. Two walks later Luke Smierciak hit a double to
centerfield to drive home three runs for the Eagle lead.
With a four-run deficit in the
ninth inning, the Bruins rally came up short but not before putting
runners on base and scoring one run to make things interesting.
Junior Nate
Woods tallied his first hit of the series with a single to
right field. In the next at bat, senior Packy Elkins was hit
by his first-pitch to quickly put two runners on base with no outs.
A wild pitch and passed ball enabled Woods to score an unearned
run, but that was all the Bruins were able to muster as the game
ended with two straight strikeouts.
Freshman Chase Brookshire
(4-2) went six innings and, excluding a four-run third inning, gave
up two runs with two strikeouts. Richie Erath (5-1) pitched seven
innings with eight strikeouts while allowing five hits and two
runs.
The game ended on a high note
with strong outings from both relief pitchers. Freshman Josh Davis pitched two
scoreless innings, allowing one hit, to finish the game for the
Bruins. FGCU's Patrick Nathanson also pitched two innings, allowing
one run and striking out four.
Junior Derek Hamblen went
2-for-4 as the Bruins' only multi-hit performance. Hamblen has
recorded a hit in 26 of the last 28 game and features 20 multi-hit
games this season.
The Eagles capture the regular
season series with Belmont for the first time since 2008 and take a
slight 5-3 all-time series advantage over the Bruins.
The 2010 series concludes
tomorrow at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET from Swanson Stadium. Audio
coverage can be heard on the Bruin Sports Network
(belmontbruins.com) with Rich Tiner at play-by-play.
