Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a long winded second game of the series Belmont University Baseball (24-19, 11-9 OVC) fell to Jacksonville State (28-14, 16-4) 26-11.
Grant Chandler recorded his first win this season for Jacksonville State while freshman Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) posted his fourth loss of the season.
Junior Zach Hodgkiss (Eads, Tenn.) recorded a career-high 3.1 innings pitched giving up five hits and striking out three.
Senior Tyler Fullerton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and senior Desi Ammons (Hohenwald, Tenn.) both went 2-for-3 in today's game. Eight other Bruins recorded a hit in the contest on the way to a team total of 12 hits.
Fullerton and junior Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) each recorded a homerun in the game.
The Gamecocks opened up game two posting five runs on four hits. BU held Jacksonville State scoreless in the top of the second inning despite the Gamecocks recording three hits.
Jacksonville State's five run lead did not last long as the Bruins blast two homeruns in the bottom of the second and took the lead.
The first four batters of the inning found their way on base. A lead off walk by sophomore Alex Ward (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) was brought around the bases as Walsh shot one over the left field wall. Junior Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) then singled followed by a walk from sophomore Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.). A double play ball gave the Bruins two outs in the inning and advanced Payne to third. A single from sophomore Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) brought Payne across home plate for BU's third run of the inning. A single from freshman Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) put runners on the corner; Fullerton hit the long ball over the left field wall, which put the Bruins up 6-5 to close out the second inning.
The Gamecocks continued to fire at the plate as 17 players rounded the bases in three innings.
Bournigal doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth and a single from sophomore Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) brought him across the plate. With two outs on the board Fullerton doubled moving Kocher to third, but both batters would be left on base as the Bruins trailed.
After the Gamecocks plated one in the top of the sixth to take a 23-7 lead the Bruins struck back with four in the bottom of the inning. Three straight walks loaded the bases for freshman Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) who brought Kocher home with a single. With the bases loaded once again junior Brennan Washington (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) sliced a double down the right field line to clear the runners.
BU put runners on in both the seventh and ninth inning but was unable to convert any for runs.
Both teams went scoreless in the seventh inning for the first time of the game.
In the top of the eighth the Gamecocks recorded three runs on three hits; Tyler Gamble scored all the runs on a homerun ball. Once again both teams went scoreless in the ninth inning for only the second time of the game.
The Bruins and Gamecocks face off in the final game of the series on Sunday, May 1. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m. CT but is subject to change due to incoming weather.
