CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont used strong offensive production and error-free defense to earn a 1-1 split in the final day of the Austin Peay Spring Classic. The Bruins lost the first game of the day, 1-4 to Cleveland State, but bounced back against Austin Peay, beating the Lady Govs 5-4 in the tournament's final game. Belmont is now 1-1 on the season against APSU. The Bruins will meet the Lady Govs for a deciding match in Clarksville on March 16th.
After coming back late in the game to beat UMKC on Saturday, the Bruins found themselves in need of a second comeback against Cleveland State in first game of the afternoon. Belmont opened the game in a four-run hole after the Cleveland State hitters had early success against freshman pitcher Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.). Sophomore Devon Schmidt (Greenbrier, Tenn.) came on in relief to get the final out of the first inning and would pitch the next 3.2 innings before leaving the game after an injury incurred while running the bases. The Bruins struggled to get going offensively, stranding runners on base in the early innings. Schmidt limited the Viking offense, striking out three batters and awarding only two walks and no earned runs. After the injury to Schmidt, Vierra returned to the lineup at pitcher and found success against Cleveland State, throwing three scoreless innings and giving up only one hit and one base on balls.
Belmont's offense continued to struggle until the bottom of the sixth inning when senior Ashley Smith (Helena, Ala.) reached base for the third time in as many at bats. Senior Julie Harmon (Brentwood, Tenn.) would pinch run for Smith and eventually come around to score the Bruins only run after a one-out single from junior Ashley Byers (Westerville, Ohio) and an error by the Vikings' short stop. Belmont would leave two runners on base in the sixth inning and two more runners in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game. Overall, the Bruins stranded eight base runners. The bright spot for the Bruins was the play of Smith, who recorded two hits and one base on balls in three at bats as the designated player.
Looking to rebound from a disappointing loss to Cleveland State where a late inning comeback came up short, Belmont headed into a rematch with Austin Peay. The Bruins lost to APSU 5-9 in the final game of the Belmont/Hampton Inn-Brentwood Spring Classic on opening weekend. Belmont started the game continuing to hit the ball well, opening the top of the first with a single from freshman Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.). Junior Hannah Irwin (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) drew a walk, as did Byers. Belmont would put five runners on base in the first inning and score two runs off a double from junior Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.), which gave the Bruins a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first inning. Belmont would hold the 2-0 lead until the bottom of the third inning. Schmidt, who returned from injury to start the game for the Bruins, retired the first six Lady Gov batters she faced before surrendering her first hit of the day, a lead-off double. APSU would manufacture a run in the inning and cut the Belmont lead to 2-1.
The Bruin offense sputtered slightly in the fourth inning and one runner was left on base after reaching first with no outs. In the bottom of the fourth, Belmont surrendered another run and APSU tied the game at 2-2. The Bruins responded in inning number five, lead by Irwin's lead-off single. Byers, Belmont's home run leader with four homers already this year, walked for the second time on the night. With two runners in scoring position, junior Stayci Cook (Tecumseh, Mich.) recorded an RBI with a deep sacrifice fly to the left fielder that scored Irwin from third. Elrod came to the plate with two outs and had her second hit of the game, a two-run home run, to give the Bruins a 5-2 lead heading into the sixth inning. It was Elrod's first home run of the season and the first of her career. The three run cushion would be just enough for Belmont as they held on in the face of an Austin Peay rally to secure their third win of the season and move to 2-2 for the tournament and 3-5 on the season.
