BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Belmont Baseball (7-2) defeated Western Kentucky, 7-6, in eleven innings Wednesday to complete a midweek series sweep. The Bruins overcame a four run deficit in the seventh inning and held off the Hilltoppers in extras to pick up their fourth straight win.
A single from Joseph Stovall (Collierville, Tenn.) in the top of the second scored Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.) for BU's first run of the game. WKU responded with a leadoff home run from Devin Kelly in the bottom half of the inning tying the game.
In the bottom of the third, WKU scored a run on a pass ball from freshman starter Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) to lead the Bruins, 2-1. Veltri went four innings, giving up three hits and a pair of runs. The right hander struck out four.
Zach Hodgkiss (Eads, Tenn.) relieved Veltri on the mound in the fifth. WKU's Ryan Huck blasted a three-run homer over the left center wall to put the Hilltoppers up 5-1. Hodgkiss saw just one inning of work, giving up four runs and three runs, bringing Jordan Deal (Brownsburg, Ind.) to the hill in the sixth.
Stovall hit a leadoff single to left center in the seventh and Ferguson hit the ball up the middle before Drew Turner (Shelbyville, Ten.) hit a double down the left field line scoring Stovall and Ferguson. Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.) doubled over WKU's third baseman's head to bring home Turner and make it a one-run ball game. Moments later, Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) singled up the middle to score Akers and tie the game at 5-5, forcing WKU to go to the bullpen.
Jessie Snodgrass (Lebanon, Tenn.) retired the side in the seventh, keeping the score tied at 5-5.
In the top of the ninth, Turner hit a single between first and second with one out to advance, Ferguson, who reached on a fielder's choice. Then, Akers sacrificed to move Ferguson over to third. In another big spot, Davis again delivered, hitting a single past the third baseman to score Ferguson and give the Bruins a 6-5 lead over the Hilltoppers.
Though Belmont was one strike away from victory in the ninth, WKU's Anderson Miller doubled down the left field line to tie the game at 6-6, forcing extra innings. This was Belmont's third extra inning game of the young season.
After a scoreless tenth, Turner hit a double down the right field line with two outs in the eleventh, bringing Akers to the plate. The senior from Cookeville singled to right center to plate Turner and give the Bruins a 7-6 lead.
After earlier hitting heroics, Davis took over on the mound in the bottom eleventh to close the game and secure Belmont's win.
Turner led the Bruins with three hits. Ferguson, Akers, Davis and Stovall all added two hits. Davis and Turner each had two RBI.
Scott Moses (Englewood, Tenn.) pitched two innings of relief to earn the win. He gave up two hits and struck out one. Davis earned the save.
Belmont returns to Rose Park for a three-game series with Illinois State beginning Friday at 4:00 p.m.
