Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Behind his second multi-homerun effort in the past four games, Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) and the Belmont University baseball team (23-17, 11-7) knocked off the visiting Memphis Tigers, 12-6 Monday evening at E.S. Rose Park.
After a grandslam homerun and a solo homer today, Conger now has four homeruns (two grandslams) and 14 RBI in the last four games. Conger was one of four Bruins to pull the yard card on Monday as Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.), Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) all homered in the victory.
"This is kind of new for me, grandslams aren't really my thing. In those situations I just try to make sure I get atleast one run in. Tonight I got some good pitches to work with and made the most of it," added Conger.
Washington is on a torrid streak of his own as he now has five homeruns over his past five games with 10 runs driven in. The junior outfielder is batting .579 over that span.
Playing its fourth game in four days, the Bruin offense showed no signs of fatigue as it collected 11 hits and 12 runs. Washington came away with a team-high three hits as Conger and Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) both finished with two-hit games.
Dylan King (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), making his fifth start of the season, pitched the best game of his young career as he went a season-high five innings allowing three runs (two earned). King pitched around three Belmont errors and provided the Bruins with some critical innings to help save some arms for tomorrow's contest. King (1-1) picked up his first collegiate win.
"It felt really good to get back out there. I tried to just throw strikes and keep the ball down with the wind blowing like a propeller out there," said King after the victory. "I commanded all my pitches, they were all working pretty well and I also had some pretty good velocity on it. I kept the ball down and the defense helped me out a lot."
After Memphis opened the scoring in the top of the second, the Bruins would get in on the act in the third with a two run frame. Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) picked up BU's first hit of the game with a ground rule double down into left before Washington smacked a two-run homer to put the home team ahead 2-1. Washington homered on the eighth pitch of the at bat after he battled back and forth with the Memphis starting pitcher. For the junior Washington that was his team-high ninth homerun.
Memphis answered right back with a solo homerun from Colton Neel to knot the score up at 2-2 in the fourth.
Belmont answered the Tiger score, but upped the ante a little with a two run inning in its half of the inning. BU's rally in the fourth was highlighted by an RBI double from Holland. With the bases loaded Washington flew out to right to end the threat as Memphis remained within striking distance.
After Memphis pushed a run across against King in the fifth, the Bruins quickly answered the bell during their turn at bat in the fifth. Walsh homered for the seventh time on the season as his solo homer landed half way up the hill over the left field fence at Rose Park. After Walsh's long drive, Zach Lannan (Nashville, Tenn.) and Holland both singled up the middle as BU picked up three consecutive hits. The Bruins loaded the bases, and for the second time in four games Conger took full advantage of his opportunity to bat with the bases juiced. Conger ripped his fourth homerun of the season over the centerfield fence to provide the Bruins with a 9-3 advantage.
Memphis got to reliever Alex Ward (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) for three runs in the top of the seventh before Josh Tubbs (Camden, Tenn.) came in with runners on and shut the door on the Tigers. Tubbs uncorked a brilliant 3-2 breaking ball to end the UM threat.
Belmont stormed back for a three-run seventh highlighted by the Bruins' 4th and 5th homers of the game, which came in back to back at bats. Kocher smoked a two-run homer to left before the hot-hitting Conger jacked his fifth homer of the season. Conger finished with five RBI for the game.
Conger now has four homeruns and 14 RBI in his last four games, with two grandslams during that span as the sophomore infielder continues to rake. He entered this past weekend with just one homerun on the season.
"I've been really comfortable in the box lately by trying to be aggressive but not chasing down or out. Tonight they threw me a couple of propellers and I took them for a ride," remarked Conger after the win.
Hadden's fourth inning walk was his 46th of the season which tied the Belmont single season for most walks in a single season (Elkins, 2010).
Tubbs finished with 1.1 innings pitched before giving way to Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) who tossed a scoreless ninth.
Belmont faces a quick turnaround, as the Bruins and Tigers square off tomorrow in Memphis at 2 p.m. from FedEx Park.
