Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- In a game that featured 28 runs, 32 hits, five errors and 12 pitchers, the Belmont University baseball team (8-7) outlasted the visiting NIU Huskies 15-13, to claim the series win Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park.
The game was delayed an hour and thirty minutes due to heavy rain in the area.
Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) notched his first collegiate win, as he logged 3.1 innings of much needed relief for the Bruins. Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), who finished 2-for-4 at the plate, came on in the ninth to pitch and notched his first save.
Offensively, several Bruins put up gaudy numbers. Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs. Four of Payne's runs batted in came in the bottom of the first when launched a no-doubter grand slam over the left field fence.
"It was one of those days offensively at Rose Park when the winds blowing out and the ball park plays small. It puts teams in the situation where they have a chance to score a lot of runs, as well as give up a lot of runs," remarked Head Coach Dave Jarvis after the win. "Both teams pitched from behind a lot and struggled with their offspeed pitches, that was the recipe for the big offense day both teams had."
Washington and Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) also went deep Sunday afternoon. Kocher finished with three RBI on a pair of hits and also scored four runs. Washington provided a lift on the base paths too, as he swiped a pair of bags.
Kocher now has 18 RBIs while Payne has driven in 20, the team lead.
Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.) registered a three-hit game out of the leadoff spot for the Bruins and cleanup hitter Tyler Fullerton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) produced a three-hit performance of his own.
Belmont led 6-1 after the first inning, but Northern Illinois rallied right back to tie things up after the top of the third had concluded. A four run sixth inning put BU back on top after it trailed, and from that point forward it would not relinquish its advantage.
NIU shortstop Brian Sisler hit for the cycle Sunday afternoon as he finished 4-for-5.
Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.) made his first start of the season on the hill, but lasted just 2.1 innings. Vaughn battled as he faced many 3-2 counts from the NIU hitters as they fought off several quality pitches from the righty. Vaughn exited in the top of the third inning when Austin Krzeminski (Roswell, Ga.) took over. Krzeminski would get through a 1 1/3 innings before Klotz came on in the top of the fourth.
After Klotz' outing concluded, Christopher Carroll (Hendersonville, Tenn.) and Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) combined to handle the eighth inning duties before Washington ultimately came into to shut the door for BU.
Klotz guided Belmont through some pivotal middle innings when it trailed and need someone to keep the NIU offense in check.
"Kyle was one of the biggest factors in us winning this ball game because of the work he did out there on the mound for us," said Jarvis. "Those stops that he gave us in the middle innings allowed our guys to recover and come back and take the lead."
Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) and Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.), the heroes of last night's ball game, each finished with a pair of hits. Hadden scored a team-high four runs.
The Bruins trailed 9-8 after five innings, but a four-run sixth loomed large in win.
After dropping the opener, Belmont battled to win the final two games of the series to wins its third series of the year.
Belmont returns to action Tuesday, March 15 when it travels to Murfreesboro for its first road game of the year when it takes the field against Middle Tennessee.
