Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Fueled by a seven run fourth inning, the Belmont University baseball team (6-5) knocked off Youngstown State, 12-6 in the series rubber match Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park.
Freshman pitcher Austin Krzeminski (Roswell, Ga.) was excellent out of the BU bullpen as he pitched 5.1 innings allowing just one run. Krzeminski won his first game as a collegiate and helped guide the Bruins to the series win. The righthander finished with five strikeouts.
"I thought Austin was a key to the game for us in the win. He did a heck of a job coming into the game and throwing up four-straight goose eggs for us," remarked Head Coach Dave Jarvis after the win. "He gave our offense an opportunity to make up ground and then eventually put some distance between us and them."
After trailing 4-1 after three innings, the Bruin offense exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. After the power the surge, the Bruins would not relinquish their lead.
Belmont has now scored six runs or more in four innings on the year.
Belmont's rally in the fourth gave it an 8-4 lead, but as demonstrated already this year at a field like Rose Park, leads of that size may not be safe. Krzeminski, however, shut the door on the Penguins allowing just one run.
"I just tried to do my best to help my team out. I know putting up zeros is huge for the guys, it gets everyone pumped up to go in and hit," said Krzeminski after the game. "Once I got my timing down and my balance point, it made it a whole lot easier to throw strikes. I had a good command of my fastball which really set up my off speed pitches."
After averaging 3.5 runs per contest over the last two games, Belmont's bats got hot and scored 12 runs. Alex Ward (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), one of three Bruins to record a multi-hit games, registered two hits and four RBI's to lead BU. Three of Ward's RBIs came in the fourth inning when he smacked a double down the right field line to grow BU's lead.
"We had a lot of quality at bats up and down the lineup which helped us generate some great offense," added Jarvis. "I have to make mention of the efforts of Brennan Washington he did a great job of getting on base for us and RBI wise Alex Ward and Clay Payne both had great days."
Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) finished with two hits and three RBIs, and opened the scoring for BU with a double into the left center gap in the fourth inning.
"I felt really comfortable at the plate today and I saw the ball well. I just got some pitches to hit today and tried to make the most out of it," said Clay Payne after the game. "I love having runners in scoring position and hitting in that situation."
The Bruins' approach at the plate and on the base paths were critical factors in the win. Belmont battled at the plate for a season-high 10 walks and stole a season-high 11 bases.
"Drawing that many walks shows a tremendous amount of plate discipline by our hitters and that puts in a great position. Our running game puts pressure on our opponent and specifically it puts pressure on their pitcher. We really like incorporating our running game," added Jarvis.
Freshman Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) walked three times and stole two bases for BU.
Junior centerfield Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), the team's leading hitter at .409, had another productive day at the ball yard as he reached base three times. Washington also swiped two bases.
"I try to stay even keel and try to do the same in the dugout with my teammates. When we got down 4-0, I just felt like we needed to stay the course and trust ourselves and our abilities," said Washington. "Playing for one another is the biggest part for our team moving forward."
In addition to his success offensively, Washington also recorded the final three outs pitching for Belmont.
"This is a good series win for us. It's important for us, especially early on, to establish winning on Sunday's because if we want to do something this year were going to need to do that," added Washington.
Belmont is now 2-0 in weekend series.
"You definitely want to win series, and sometimes it's hard to come back from a loss, but we responded tonight. You have to battle and grind to get a series win," added Payne.
Krzeminski came on in relief of Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) who cruised through the first inning but ran into trouble in the second and was lifted after recording the first out.
In addition to the crooked number BU put up in the fourth, it also tallied a four-run inning in the sixth and added one in the third.
Belmont returns to action Tuesday, March 6, when it host Southern Illinois for a midweek matchup at Rose Park. The Bruins and Salukis are set for a 1 p.m. game time.
