Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Baseball (6-5) fell to Mercer, 9-4, Sunday in the series finale.
Mercer got things started quickly with two runs in the first. The Bears added two more runs in the fifth and the sixth to take a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Mercer's Michael Massi hit a leadoff double and an RBI single from Austin Barrett sparked four runs for the Bears, which extended their lead to 8-0.
The Bruins responded in the bottom half with four runs of their own. Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.) registered his first collegiate hit to put runners on the corner. An RBI single from Alec Diamond (Kennesaw, Ga.) scored Walsh and put Belmont on the board.
Back-to-back hit batsmen scored Bournigal. With the bases loaded, Jamie Ritchie (Buford, Ga.) drew a walk to score Diamond. William Dodd's (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) sacrifice fly brought home Ray Eastman (Oro Valley, Ariz.) to cut Mercer's lead to four.
Mercer was able to get one more run across in the top of the ninth to maintain their lead, 9-4.
Diamond went 2-for-5 with one RBI.
Dan Ludwig (Naperville, Ill.) went five innings registering a season best six strikeouts.
Belmont continues its homestand with Southern Illinios on Tuesday at 4:00pm.
