Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont baseball team (25-20, 14-10) defeated Lipscomb (15-29, 6-15) by a score of 4-3 on Sunday, winning the weekend series two games to one. Sophomore Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) remained undefeated on the mound, improving to 5-0 after allowing only two runs in seven innings.
The Bruins got on the board first for the third straight game against the Bisons, as senior Derek Hamblen (Plano, Texas) hit the third solo home run on the weekend. Hamblen's homer made it 1-0 in the first, while a sacrifice fly from junior Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.) drove in sophomore Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.), who doubled earlier in the second inning.
Each team scored one run in the third inning to make it 3-1 in favor of the Bruins. Belmont put their run together with a lead-off single by junior Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.), a pair of walks from Hamblen and senior Nate Woods (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and a sacrifice fly by senior Matt Zeblo (Raleigh, N.C.).
After Davis gave up a solo home run to Kyle Henry in the bottom of the seventh, the Bruins countered with one run of insurance in the top of the eighth to make it 4-2 in favor of Belmont. Brody led off the inning with a double to ninth, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Akers, and then scored as sophomore Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) grounded out to short.
Junior Dane Swinehart (Lancaster, Ohio) and senior Jon Ivie (Summertown, Tenn.) came in for one inning of relief a piece, clinching the win for the Bruins. Each pitcher allowed only two hits, while Ivie earned his seventh save of the season pitching the ninth.
Belmont totaled four runs on 11 hits and no errors. Craig, Hamblen, and Zeblo each tallied two hits, while Brody, Akers and Mitchell each recorded doubles to lead the Bruins at the plate. Lipscomb finished with three runs on 12 hits and no errors. Mike Grace picked up the loss after allowing three runs in two and two thirds innings pitched.
Belmont will next host Murray State in a doubleheader on Tuesday, May 3 beginning at 4:00 p.m. Between the first and second games, the grand opening of the new E.S. Rose Park will take place.
