NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - The cross town rivalry that has been even over the past five years stayed at a dead-heat when Belmont (3-6, 0-0) earned a 1-1 split with Tennessee State on Wednesday evening. The Bruins dropped the first game, 0-8, but came back strong in the second game to win 13-9.
In game one Belmont managed only one hit against Tiger ace Caitlin Eaton. The Bruins stranded six base runners and committed four errors in the five-inning loss. The lone hit in the game came from junior Hannah Irwin (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.)
Belmont fared much better in game two in spite of giving up a solo home-run to Eaton in the first inning. The Bruins exploded in inning number two, making it all the way through the batting order and scoring eight runs (five unearned) on five hits and two errors from TSU. The inning was powered by junior Ashley Byers' (Westerville, Ohio) three-run home run. It was the fifth home run of the season for Byers and her first in four games. In 2010, Byers set a new school Division I era record with 10 home runs in a series. She is currently tied for the lead in the Atlantic Sun conference for home runs and leads the league in slugging percentage (1.000). Sophomore transfer Becca Gift (Durham, N.C.) got things started for the Bruins when she reached on an error. Senior Kelley Cash (Hudson, Ohio) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Gift into scoring position. Senior Julie Harmon (Brentwood, Tenn.) singled to the short stop to put runners on first and third. Freshman Kimberly Johnson (Tuscon, Ariz.) recorded her first hit as a Bruin when she singled to centerfield. Gift came around to score on the play, tying the game at 1-1. Junior Cassie Bollin reached first on an error to load the bases. Freshman Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) tripled on the next at bat, narrowly missing an inside the park homerun. Hammer's hit scored Harmon, Johnson, and Bollin and gave Belmont a 4-1 lead with only one out. Irwin reached on a fielder's choice that forced Hammer out at second for out number two. Senior Ashley Smith (Helena, Ala.) reached on a single to left field, setting the stage for Byers' home run. By the end of the inning, Belmont held an 8-1 lead over TSU.
In addition to finding an offense, the Bruins got solid production from freshman pitcher Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.). Vierra gave up eight hits in 3.2 innings, but only surrendered four runs to a TSU team that had eight runs in five innings in the previous game. Sophomore Devon Schmidt (Greenbrier, Tenn.) came on in relief of Vierra in the bottom of the fourth inning and took the Bruins the rest of the way, giving up only two hits and allowing no runs in 3.1 innings of work. Belmont would score five more runs after the second inning, including two runs in the top of the seventh. Seven different Bruins recorded hits in the game and three different players had multiple hits. Belmont was paced by Harmon who went a perfect 4-4 in game two. Smith added two hits while Byers added a single to her home run.
The win in game two made the Bruins 4-6 as they prepare to head to Auburn for the War Eagle Classic. Tournament play opens Friday evening at 6 p.m. when Belmont faces Auburn. The Bruins will be back to work early on Saturday against Marshall at 10 a.m. The second game on Saturday will pit Belmont against Georgia Southern. The Bruins will close out play in the War Eagle Classic Sunday at 9 a.m. against Murray State.
