Box Score MACON, Ga. - - Belmont University Baseball fell to Mercer, 5-4, in 11 innings Sunday at Claude Smith Field.
Starting on the mound for the Bruins was lefty Dan Ludwig (Naperville, Tenn.). Ludwig pitched 6.1 innings on the mound and allowed only 1 run on 4 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 7 batters, a 2015 season personal best. Relieving Ludwig was Chase Cunningham (Bluff City, Tenn.) who pitches 0.2 innings. Cunningham struck out 2/5 batters he faced. Closing out the game, pitching 2.2 innings was lefty Matthew Kinney (Alpharetta, Ga.). Kinney struck out three batters and allowed one run on two hits.
Similar to prior games, the Bruins started with an early lead. Leadoff hitter, Alec Diamond (Kennesaw, Ga.) stepped up to the plate with a single straight up the middle to fire up the bats for the Bruins. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. Drew Ferguson (Knoxville, Tenn.) flied out to right field to which Diamond advanced a base. With runner on third, Matt Beaty (Dresden, Tenn.) grounded out to second base to plate Diamond. Bruins led 1-0 in the first inning.
The Bears held the Bruins scoreless in the second, but came back in the top of the third with Drake Byrd's (Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) single to left field. Diamond followed Byrd with another single to left field. Beaty stepped up to the plate and drew a walk to load the Bases for the Bruins. Tyler Fullerton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) hit a single to center field to plate Byrd and Diamond. This is Fullerton's 11th RBI, a team high. Beaty stayed aggressive on the bases and stole second but was left stranded.
Two more scoreless innings for the Bruins before they entered the top of the sixth, Beaty draws a leadoff walk, followed by another walk before a pitching change for the Bears.The Bears new pitcher leads with another walk to load the bases. Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) reaches first on an error by the short stop to plate Beaty. Bruins now lead 4-1 after the 6th.
The Bears came back and tied up the game in the 8th at 4-4 with a leadoff walk and the second batter hitting a two run homerun. Next batter up singled to left center, followed by a hit by pitch. Runners advance on a sacrifice bunt. Runner on third scores on a groundout to first base, the run scored tied the game as the Bruins headed into extra innings.
Belmont (2-5) travels to Bowling Green, Kentucky on Tuesday to take on the WKU Hilltoppers to conclude their home and home series.
