JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Belmont Baseball (32-13, 18-5) outlasted Jacksonville State, 10-6, on Saturday night in difficult playing conditions following a five hour rain delay.
The Bruins jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Drew Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.) led off the inning with a single up the middle and scored on a triple from Jared Breen (Marietta, Ga.). Drew Turner (Shelbyville, Tenn.) singled through the left side to score Breen. Josh Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) reached on a fielder's choice to score Judah Akers (Cookeville, Tenn.).
Jacksonville State got on the board in the bottom of the second.
Turner led off the third with a single to center field and advanced on a double from Davis. The right fielder scored on a sacrifice fly from Jamie Ritchie (Buford, Ga.) to put Belmont ahead 4-1.
Behind a single from Paschal Petrongolo to right field in the bottom of the third, JSU scored a pair of runs to make it a one run ballgame.
The Gamecocks tied the game, 4-4, in the bottom of the fourth as Adam Miller hit an RBI single to right field.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jacksonville State took a 5-4 lead. Eddie Mora-Loera laid down a bunt single to put runners on the corners before Bishop grounded into a double play to give the Gamecocks a one-run lead.
The Bruins scored three in the top of the sixth to regain the lead at 7-5. Akers loaded the bases with one out as JSU reliever, Michael Mason, balked to walk in Ferguson, tying the game at 5-5. An error and a wild pitch allowed Belmont to take a two-run lead.
JSU responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
An RBI single from Ferguson scored Ritchie, who led off the seventh inning with a double to left field to put the Bruins ahead, 8-6.
With the bases loaded in the eighth, a sacrifice fly by Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) extended Belmont's lead by three. Alec Diamond (Kennesaw, Ga.) drew a bases loaded walk to score Davis and put the Bruins up, 10-6.
Breen ,Turner, and Ferguson each had three hits.
Jessie Snodgrass (Lebanon, Tenn.) took the hill in the top of the sixth. The right hander set the Belmont single season record for appearances as he made his 35th appearance of the season. He struck out a career high six in his 3.1 innings of relief.
Belmont and Jacksonville State will conclude the series tomorrow. The game time of Sunday's game has been pushed up to 11:00a.m.
