NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont baseball takes on No. 24 Vanderbilt for a midweek tilt at the Nashville Sounds First Tennessee Park on Wednesday, March 22. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
Belmont most recently halted Morehead State's eight game winning streak with a 4-2 victory over the Eagles in the third game of the series. The Bruins win helped them avoid the series sweep against MSU after dropping the first two games, both by a slim margin of one run. BU heads into its midweek challenge against No. 24 Vanderbilt with an overall mark of 8-10, while going 3-3 in conference play after the first two weeks.
At the plate, BU has seen continued consistency from senior designated hitter Nick Egli (Brentwood, Tenn.) and redshirt-freshman outfielder Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.). Egli has registered a team-best five multi-RBI games, including a crucial performance in Belmont's recent win over Morehead State where he contributed three of the squads four RBIs. He's registered a .353 batting average while collecting 18 hits, 14 which have been extra base shots. Cogen has tallied a team-best 25 hits this season, including eight multi-hit outings. He leads the team with an .362 batting average.
The pitching staff has been headed by a dominant weekend starting crew composed of Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.), Dylan King (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and Connor Etheridge (Springfield, Ill.). Collectively, the trio has triggered 114 of the squads 165 strikeouts through the first five weeks of the season. All three of them rank in the top-eight in strikeouts with Vaughn and King ranking second and hurling 40, while Etheridge sits eighth with 34. Last weekend Vaughn collected a career-best 11 Ks against the Eagles - the first double digit outing of his career. The Bruins have also seen extensive production from their bullpen with 10 different pitchers taking the hill for Belmont. Sophomore Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) leads the OVC with 11 appearances, tossing 16.0 innings and earning a record of 1-1 on the mound. Senior closer Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.)has earned all three of Belmont's saves this season.
KING OF THE HILL
King ranks 29th in the nation having tossed a blistering 40 strikeouts through the first five starts of his sophomore campaign. He sits second in the conference in Ks and 10th with a 3.77 ERA in 28.2 innings of work. The right-handed hurler tossed his second 11 strike out outing of the year at EKU (3.10), tying a career-best. He previously fanned 11 batters against Northwestern (2.25) - both performances led to Belmont victories. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. is the only Bruin that has sat down more than 10 batters via strikeout in multiple games in 2017.
DEALING A DOZEN
Junior right-hander Connor Etheridge wreaked havoc on EKU on the Bruins series finale against the Colonels last week, hurling a career-best 12 strikeouts and only allowing four hits. Etheridge only allowed multiple base runners in the first inning against Eastern Kentucky, striking out at least one batter in every frame. He powered Belmont to its first shutout of the year, blanking EKU 2-0. The Springfield, Illinois product has combined for 34 Ks in 24.2 innings of work, boasting an ERA of 3.65. Etheridge tossed 14 consecutive scoreless innings before giving up a pair of runs in game three against Morehead State (3.19).
IN THE NICK OF TIME
Senior utility Nick Egli has played a crucial role in sparking the Bruins offense as the designated hitter. He was the one who provoked a five-run two-out rally against Bowling Green with a two bagger that would go on to help Belmont post its first come-from-behind victory. He then ignited Belmont's offense in the first two innings against then-No. 17 Georgia Tech and at Western Kentucky, registering hits in his first two plate appearances in both contests. Egli then went on to post a pair of multi-RBI games in BU's double header against EKU, including driving in the Bruins only two runs in the squads 2-0 shutout in the second contest. He laced back-to-back doubles against Morehead State to bring in three of the squads four runs. Twelve of his 18 hits this season have been extra base knocks.
NO PAYNE NO GAIN
Senior catcher Clay Payne (Powell, Tenn.) is the driving force of Belmont's defense - starting behind the plate in all but one game this season. He's tallied 131 putouts ranking sixth in the conference. The veteran also caught eight runners attempting to steal, the most in the OVC. Payne was recently named to the Johnny Bench Award watch list that honors elite catchers throughout the nation.
I'M LOVE-LL-ING IT
Redshirt-junior Ben Lovell (St. Louis, Mo.)has provided the Bruins with solid relief on the hill throughout the start of the season, logging 10.1 innings and only giving up one earned run. He's compiled a 0.87 ERA to lead Belmont's bullpen staff through the first 18 games.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Bruins have registered a double in 15 of its first 18 contests, including connecting on at least two in 13 games. They hold a 7-5 mark when recording multiple two-base shots.
FRIDAY FEATURE
Right-handed pitcher Vaughn has earned the Friday start for the Bruins in each of their first five weekend series. In his five appearances, the hurler has struck out 40 batters through 32.0 innings of work - ranking him second in the league. The Jonesboro, Ill. product tossed a career-best 11 Ks against Morehead State (3.17), reducing his ERA to 5.62 so far in his junior campaign.
QUICK HITS
- The Bruins will play their second nationally ranked team, No. 24 Vanderbilt for a midweek tilt. Earlier this season, Belmont got one game off then-No.17 Georgia Tech in a three-game series, winning game three, 11-5.
- Coach Jarvis is in the midst of his 20th season at the helm of BU, compiling an overall record of 566-508-2 with the program. Collectively, Jarvis has earned a 890-659-2 mark in his 28-year coaching career.
- The Commodores hold the overall sereis record, 7-25, but the Bruins have claimed two of the last three meetings. Belmont fell to Vanderbilt, 8-2, in the inaugural game at the Nashville Sounds First Tennessee Park.
- Belmont swept the 2015 series against Vanderbilt beating the top-10 squad 3-2 at Vandy and 4-1 on the Bruins home turf.
- The squad has five different Bruins who rank in the top-10 of conference statistics - Nick Egli (third slugging percentage .765), Dylan King (second in strikeouts with 40, sixth ERA 3.04), Tyler Vaughn (second in strikeouts 40 and innings pitched 32.0), Connor Etheridge (sixth strikeouts 34 and eighth ERA 3.65) and Dom Veltri (fifth with three saves).
- This is the Bruins first game on a neutral field this season, they were 2-3 in such games last year.
