Box Score MURRAY, Ky.- After a 14 run performance yesterday, the Belmont University baseball team (27-20, 13-10) saw its offense quieted by the host Murray State Racers (23-25, 11-12) as it dropped a 4-1 decision at Reagan Field Saturday evening.
Murray State evens the series at 1-1, as the teams meet for a crucial game three tomorrow afternoon.
Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) led the way with a three hit performance as he accounted for three of the Bruins' 8 hits. Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) picked up BU's lone run driven in with his knock in the fifth that plated Kocher.
Belmont threatened with a couple of strong scoring chances, but had three baserunning miscues which led to unfortunate outs in the hardfought loss. Belmont had three runners picked off as Kipp Moore, the Racer catcher, caught two Bruins on snap throws and one Bruin runner was picked off by the pitcher.
Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.) put forth a gritty effort on the mound as he went 6.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned). Vaughn pitched around 11 Racer hits and successfully worked out of trouble on numerous occassions. Vaughn added a quality start, but ultimately saw his record fall to 6-2 with the losing decision.
Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) walked four in his 1.1 innings of work out of the BU pen, but allowed just one run.
Trailing 3-1 in the top of the eighth, the Bruins loaded the bases, but a strikeout ended the threat as they could not quite come up with the big hit. BU stranded nine in the loss.
Austin Dubsky threw a solid game for Murray as he went seven innings and allowed just one earned run with seven punchouts.
For the second-staight game Murray State struck first, but unlike last night's matchup, the Racers held their early lead for the duration. MSU got to Vaughn for a score in the first as it led off the game with three-straight hits. Murray added another score in the third before Belmont tallied its lone run in the fifth.
After Belmont cut the deficit to 2-1, the Racers promptly answered with a run of their own in the home half of the fifth to grow their lead to 3-1.
Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) each extended their hitting streaks to 12 games, respectively.
Tyler Lawrence led the Racers with three hits as a Belmont comeback wasn't in the cards in the second game of the set.
Belmont and Murray meet for a 1 p.m. CT rubber match tomorrow at Reagan Field.
