Box Score EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Wednesday night's game between Belmont (28-17, 12-6 A-Sun) and Evansville (27-18, 7-8 MVC) felt a lot like the first meeting between these two teams back on opening day. Unlike the Bruins' 2-0 victory back on February 17, BU was unable to score a single run on the Purple Aces this time around, as Evansville won 1-0 in 11 innings.
Belmont was solid on the mound and in the field all game long, allowing only one unearned on six scattered hits, and failing to record a single error, while tallying a number of outstanding defensive plays. It all started with freshman Dan Ludwig (Naperville, Ill.), who had yet another quality start for the Bruins.
The left-hander took a perfect game into the sixth inning before he was relieved by freshman Austin Coley (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). After over a week off, the Bruins were in need of getting a number of pitchers work on the mound before returning to Atlantic Sun Conference play this weekend.
Ludwig pitched five perfect innings. He allowed no runs on zero hits, while walking no batters and striking out two. The freshman finished with only 41 pitches, 33 of which were strikes. Coley continued the Bruins perfect game through the sixth, before Evansville recorded its first hit of the contest off of junior Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.).
Freshman Scott Moses (Englewood, Tenn.) and senior Garrett Fanchier (Lebanon, Tenn.) kept the Purple Aces off the scoreboard in the eighth and ninth, respectively, pushing this midweek contest into extra innings.
The Bruins failed to capitalize on having a man in scoring position on three occasions throughout the game. Senior Phillip Parsley (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) singled and advanced to second in the second, junior Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.) doubled to center field in the fourth, and Moses doubled down the left field line in the fifth.
Junior Tim Bowles (Hendersonville, Tenn.) allowed two hits in a shutout 10th inning, but the Purple Aces finally won the game on a leadoff single, a passed ball, and a walk-off single to right center field. Jordan Chavis and Eric Stamets each recorded their second hit of the game to lead Evansville to the 1-0 victory.
Belmont finished with no runs on eight hits and no errors. Bowles fell to 0-2 on the season after allowing one unearned run on four hits. Senior Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and Akers both went two-for-five at the plate, while the latter tallied his team-leading 15th double of the season in the defeat.
Evansville totaled just one run on six hits and no errors. Zach Taylor improved to 4-1 on the year after allowing just two hits in the final two innings for the Aces. It was starter Ryan Billo who kept UE in the game, pitching nine shutout innings, while allowing just six hits, striking out six, and walking no Bruins.
Belmont will next return home to host North Florida in a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference series this weekend. Friday's first game of the series is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
