Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont baseball team (2-4) allowed only two runs for the third time this season, but failed to top Bradley (3-2), falling to the Braves by a score of 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at Rose Park.
The Braves, who defeated Arkansas-Little Rock 19-3 earlier in the day, opened things up against the Bruins in similar fashion. Rob Elliott hit a solo home run to left field to lead off the game. After giving up the homer to his first batter, Belmont junior Chase Brookshire (Chattanooga, Tenn.) allowed only one run on four hits throughout the rest of his six inning start.
"I think our pitchers did a good job of minimizing some of their hitters," Head Coach Dave Jarvis said following the game. "I give our kids a lot of credit for that. Anytime you throw Chase out there you have a high expectation that he's going to give you a quality start, which he did today."
Belmont came out hot on offense as well, as senior captain Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.) singled to left field to lead things off. After advancing to second on a balk, and to third on a ground out by junior Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.), Mitchell scored on a single to left by sophomore Greg Brody (Dacula, Ga.).
Unfortunately for the Bruins, that first inning score was the only dent Belmont did to the Braves' pitching staff, which used three relievers in three innings after starter John Nasshan left after six innings of work. The junior right-hander struck out six and gave up four hits in the win.
After pitching shutout baseball during the second through fifth innings, Brookshire started the sixth the same way he did the first, allowing a solo shot to lead off batter, Elliott. The senior went yard to left-center field to give Bradley the 2-1 advantage they would need to come out on top Saturday.
Freshman Scott Moses (Englewood, Tenn.) relieved Brookshire for the final three innings of play, and much like his first outing as a Bruin, the right-hander allowed no runs in the appearance. Moses pitched a couple of one-two-three innings in the seventh and ninth, while allowing a pair of hits in the eighth.
Danny Gifford came in to record his second save of the season, striking out one batter and walking another in a no-hit ninth. The Braves totaled two runs on seven hits and no errors in the victory.
Belmont finished with one run on four hits and one error. Brookshire picked up the loss on the mound, while senior Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and sophomore William Dodd (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) added base hits for the Bruin offense.
"I'll be honest with you," Jarvis continued. "Our offense is going to come together. I knew there would be some growing pains with this offense going into the season, because we had a lot of new faces in the lineup. I'm not worried."
Bradley will play Arkansas-Little Rock Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. in a neutral site game at Rose Park. Belmont will then host the Trojans in the final game of the weekend at approximately 2:00 p.m. The Bruins' game will be broadcast live on the internet with play-by-play from Rich Tiner.
