Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont baseball team (13-14, 3-7) gave up five unearned runs in the first inning en route to an 8-6 loss to Jacksonville (16-10, 6-4) in game one of a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series at Shelby Park on Friday.
Bruin starting pitcher sophomore Chase Brookshire (Chattanooga, Tenn.) pitched seven innings, allowing only five hits and no earned runs to help BU get back in the game after the early deficit. From the second inning to the seventh, the lefty allowed only one hit and put up six zeros on the scoreboard. It wasn't good enough though, as Brookshire recorded the loss as Belmont trailed 5-4 when he left the game.
After giving up those five unearned runs in the top of the first, Belmont chipped away at the Dolphins' lead, scoring one run in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The runs in the third and fourth both came from solo home runs. Sophomore Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) led off the third with a shot to left field, while senior Matt Zeblo (Raleigh, N.C.) went yard as the second batter of the fourth inning.
The run in the sixth that made it 5-3 did not come about quite as quickly. Senior Derek Hamblen (Plano, Texas) led off the side with an infield single. He then reached second on a single up the middle by Zeblo, and third after senior Tim Egerton (Smyrna, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.) then drove in Hamblen on a fielder's choice.
The Bruins then got within one run in the seventh when freshman Greg Brody (Dacula, Ga.) scored on a wild pitch. Brody led off the inning with sixth double of the season, before junior Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.) advanced the freshman to third on a single to right field. After Hamblen was walked, the wild pitch advanced all runners, scoring Brody.
Jacksonville opened the eighth inning with Jimmy Howick advancing to first base via catcher's interference. After a strike out and a fly out courtesy of Belmont reliever Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.), the Dolphins singled twice and then doubled to score three runs and make it 8-4.
Belmont scored two more runs over the final two innings but it wasn't enough as JU finished with the 8-6 victory. The Dolphins totaled eight runs on eight hits and one error, while the Bruins tallied six runs on 10 hits and two errors.
Jacksonville was led at the plate by Esterlin Perozo, who went two for four with three runs batted in. Steve Eagerton improved to 6-0 on the season after allowing four runs on eight hits in six and one third innings pitched. Chris Anderson recorded his fourth save of the year after recording the final two outs of the game.
Zeblo and junior Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) led the Bruins with two hits at the plate. Both Zeblo and Akers finished with two runs batted in. Brookshire fell to 1-2 on the season after striking out five and walking three.
The two teams will take to the field again on Saturday for game two of this weekend's series. The contest will start at 2:00 p.m. at Shelby Park with senior Nate Woods (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) expected to start for the Bruins.
