Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont baseball team (24-20, 13-10) defeated Lipscomb (15-28, 6-14) by a score of 9-2 to even the weekend series on Saturday night. Junior Matt Hamann (Northbrook, Ill.) improved to 6-1 on the mound after allowing only two runs in seven innings of action.
The Bruins got on the board first for the second straight game against the Bisons on Saturday. BU scored one in the first without recording a hit. After senior Derek Hamblen (Plano, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice, he stole second base and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the Lipscomb catcher. Senior Nate Woods (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) then drove in Hamblen with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Belmont then scored one run in the second inning with one swing of the bat. Freshman Greg Brody (Dacula, Ga.) recorded his seventh homer of the season on the first pitch he faced in the game, scorching one over the left field wall to give BU a 2-0 lead.
After the Bisons scored one in the bottom of the third, Belmont countered with two of their own in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Senior Tim Egerton (Smyrna, Tenn.) and Brody led off the inning with a pair of singles, and after sophomore Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.) advanced the two runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, they scored on a fielder's choice from sophomore Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) and a ground out by junior Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.).
Each team tallied one run in the fifth before the Bruins took a commanding 9-2 lead with four runs in the seventh. Woods got the offense started with a towering solo shot over the left field fence to lead off the inning. Brody, Breen, and Mitchell each recorded RBI singles to drive in the remaining three runs of the seventh.
Hamann earned the win for Belmont after failing to go complete for the first time in three starts. The right-hander allowed two runs on nine hits, while striking out five batters and walking one. Junior Garrett Fanchier (Lebanon, Tenn.) finished out the game with two scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out three batters.
Belmont totaled nine runs on 12 hits and one error. Brody led the Bruins at the plate with yet another productive outing, going three-for-four with a homer and a walk. His only empty at bat came with a long fly out at the warning track in the ninth inning.
The two teams will be back at Dugan Field for the final game of the series on Sunday. With the first pitch scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Belmont will send sophomore Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) to the mound to attempt to win the series for the Bruins.
