Box Score MOREHEAD, Ky. – Despite rallying back from a 9-4 deficit, the Belmont University baseball team saw its four-game winning streak snapped Friday afternoon, as the Bruins fell 12-11 to the host Morehead State Eagles.
The Bruins carried an 11-9 lead into the bottom of the eighth, but the Eagles stormed back to score three runs and shock Belmont.
Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) and Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) both homered for the second straight game as they each launched long balls over the netting in right field at Allen Field. Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) also went deep in the Bruins' hard fought defeat.
Connor Etheridge (Springfield, Ill.), who entered the game with five consecutive scoreless outings, was saddled with the loss.
After relinquishing its lead, Belmont put the game tieing run on third in the bottom of the ninth. Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) was cut down at the plate after MSU pitcher Cable Wright snagged a chopping ground ball and threw home where the catcher tagged him out.
The Bruins opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Hadden launched his second homerun in as many days and put Belmont up 2-0. After Morehead bounced back with one in the bottom of the first, the Bruins countered with two more only to see the Eagles put up a four spot off of Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) in their turn at bat in the second.
The game got interesting in the bottom of the third, when a call made on the field was reversed much to the dismay of the Bruins. With the bases loaded and two out and the score board reading 5-4 in favor of Morehead, it appeared Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) robbed a an Eagle hitter of extra bases with an acrobatic catch in right field. Washington lept up and snagged a ball that would have cleared the fence, only to see the ball pop out but the junior had the presence of mind to regroup and grab the ball out of mid air. The ruling on the field indicated a catch and Belmont's third out, but after Morehead State pleaded its case with the umpiring crew, the call was reversed. Austin Krzeminski (Roswell, Ga.), who entered in relief of Queener, nearly escaped a baseloaded jam, but was forced to come back to the mound after the team had return to the dugout. Morehead State ended up scoring three runs in the inning after the call reversal and extended its lead to 8-4. At this point in the game emotions ran high for both teams.
Morehead State added another tally in the fourth to grows its advantage to 9-4. Down but not out, the Bruins combined to score seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings to regain the lead 11-9. Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) came through with a crucial base hit up the middle to drive in Alex Ward (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and put the Bruins on top in the top of the sixth.
Krzeminski delivered 4.2 critical innings of relief and helped guide the Bruins through the middle innings. The freshman battled to keep the Eagles at bay when Belmont needed it most.
Etheridge entered in the seventh inning and got Krzeminski and the Bruins out of a first and third jam. Etheridge struck out the first batter in the bottom of the eighth, but the Eagles recorded three straight hits to tie things up and eventually took the lead with a sacrifice fly.
Several Bruins had nice days at the dish as Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.), Conger, Veltri, Walsh and Hadden all finished with multi-hit games.
Hadden finished with two hits, two walks and three RBIs.
The Bruins stole six bases and drew eight walks.
The rubber match between Belmont and Morehead State is set for Noon CT in Morehead, Ky.
