Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Freshman first basemen Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) drove in Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) to plate the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday afternoon, as the Bruins walked off with a 5-4 win over Northern Illinois in game two of the series.
Conger ignited the game-winning rally when he led off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle. After Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.) lined out to right, Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) was struck out looking, but on the eventual third strike Conger took off and swiped second base to put himself in scoring position. Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), the Bruins leading hitter, was then intentionally walked to put runners on first and second for Hadden with two outs. After falling behind in the count 1-2, Hadden ripped a breaking pitch from NIU hurler Joe Hawks into right field and Conger raced home to beat the throw and tally the game-winning score.
"I got down in the count and was just thinking if he throws me a fastball I'm going to try to hit it the other way and if he goes off speed I'm going to try to pull it. He hung me a slider and I just kind of stuck my bat out there," remarked Hadden after the win. "My approach really came through for me."
Hadden, who is now batting .423 on the young season, finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a pair of walks.
"Chas has a tremendous mentality at the plate. For a freshman he really does have an outstanding hitting mind," said Head Coach Dave Jarvis. "He's a cool customer and I'm very proud of him today."
While Hadden walks off as the hero, sophomore Connor Etheridge (Springfield, Ill.) certainly put forth a heroic effort in his own right. Etheridge came on in relief of freshman starting pitcher Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) and tossed 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball. Etheridge worked out of several jams and played a crucial role in keeping the Huskies at bay to keep BU in the game. Etheridge struck out six during his time on the mound.
"I felt great out there today. All my offspeed pitches were on today, and specifically my changeup was pretty good tonight which made my fastball better," said Etheridge.
After facing a 4-2 deficit heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Bruins rallied for three runs in their final two trips to the plate to notch the victory.
Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) helped Belmont even the score in the bottom of the eighth when he drove in two with a hit through the left side. After a Washington single and a Hadden walk, Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) laid down an excellent sacrifice bunt that was placed so precisely that it resulted in a hit. Kocher's bunt allowed Payne a chance to bat with two runners in scoring position, and the 6'3 junior made the most of it.
Kocher and Payne each finished with two hits. Payne registered a three RBI game and Washington and Hadden each walked twice. Washington also singled once and has now hit in 13 of BU's 14 games.
"It's awesome to get a win like that," added Hadden. "Let's hope we can keep the wheels turning and get another win tomorrow and our third series win."
When asked about Belmont's ability to grind out the win Saturday Etheridge said, "That defines our team. Our team has a workmanlike mentality, and we're not going to settle for anything. If we're punched in the mouth, we're going to get right back and fight back."
Northern Illinois opened the scoring in the third inning as it put up two runs. The Huskies loaded the bases without recording an out, but Queener then battled to allude the NIU threat by only spotting NIU two scores. The Huskies stretched their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fourth, before the Bruins answered back with a two run bottom of the frame.
Queener recorded one out in the top of the fifth, allowing two hits and a run, before giving way to Etheridge. Etheridge, who inherited runners on second and third, escaped the jam and helped set the tone for BU.
"The biggest thing I saw Connor do tonight is nothing that he isn't capable of doing for us on a routine basis. He executed all three of his pitches for strikes," added Jarvis. "His changeup was outstanding and it really setup his fastball."
The score after five complete read 4-2 in favor of NIU.
In the sixth Etheridge found himself in a second and third, no out situation, but managed to wriggle his way out of trouble and hold the score at 4-2.
Etheridge threw scoreless frames in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth as he held the NIU batters in check during a time when Belmont's bats got going.
Belmont had just three hits through the first seven innings but in crunch time it managed to find another gear and recorded five hits in the final two innings.
"This was a big win for us tonight. We snapped a two-game losing streak and also won our first Saturday game. This win helped us get back on track," said Etheridge.
Belmont and NIU will square off in the series rubber match, tomorrow at E.S. Rose Park. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. as Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.) will make his first start of 2016.
