NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont baseball team (28-16, 12-6 A-Sun) returns to action after just over a week off to play at Evansville (26-18, 7-9 MVC) in a midweek non-conference contest this Wednesday. The Bruins and the Purple Aces will square off at 6:00 p.m., the second meeting between the two squads in 2012. Belmont took the first matchup by a score of 2-0 to open the season back on February 17.
Evansville welcomes Belmont to town with a mark of 26-18 after dropping two out of three games to Bradley this weekend. The Purple Aces will conclude a 12-game homestand when hosting the Bruins on Wednesday, before heading on the road for a three-game series at Dallas Baptist.
The Aces are hitting just .261 as a team, but have three individuals batting over .300. Kevin Kaczmarski leads the way with a mark of .333, while adding 12 doubles, 29 runs batted in, and a team-best five triples. Eric Stamets has added an average of .307 and a team-leading 14 doubles. Sophomore Ryan Billo will start on the mound for Evansville on Wednesday. The right-hander holds a 7-1 record with a 2.62 ERA and 29 strikeouts in nine starts this season.
The Bruins get back into action after a week off with a 28-16 record, and a recent non-conference victory over UT Martin. Belmont has increased its team average to .267 with senior captain Zac Mitchell (Cordova, Tenn.) leading the way with a mark of .366. The second baseman also leads the Atlantic Sun Conference with a .500 on base percentage, 47 runs scored, and a school record 24 hit by pitches.
The BU pitching staff boasts a 3.37 ERA, and a staggering 275 strikeouts to only 111 walks. Sophomore Dan Ludwig (Naperville, Ill.), who has won his last two decisions, is scheduled to start on the mound Wednesday. A left-hander, Ludwig is now 3-4 on the season with an ERA of 4.20, 35 strikeouts, and only eight walks.
Wednesday's game will feature live audio on the Bruins Sports Network. Live Stats can be found at GoPurpleAces.com, and all of the action will be covered on the Belmont Baseball Twitter Feed.
