NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont baseball opens its last month of play with a midweek challenge against Evansville Wednesday, May 3. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at E.S. Rose Park.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
Belmont takes a break from conference play for a midweek tilt against Evansville. The Bruins hold a 21-21 overall mark and have won their last pair of midweek contests, most recently edging neighborhood foe Lipscomb last week.
Offensively, BU has been headed by the veteran of designated hitter Nick Egli (Brentwood, Tenn.) and junior second baseman Rafael Bournigal (Mulberry, Fla.) throughout the second half of the season. Egli leads the squad in eight statistical categories - including ranking in the top-six in the nation in slugging percentage (third), on base percentage (fifth) and batting average (sixth). The veteran has reached base in each of Belmont's last 26 contests while collecting a hit in 13 consecutive games. Bournigal sits right behind Egli, producing a .328 batting average on 44 hits and 20 RBIs. Belmont sits atop the league with 50 stolen bases as senior Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) leads the charge, having robbed 14 bases in his 17 attempts. Collectively, the team has registered 375 hits, 248 runs and 222 RBIs.
On the mound, Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) will earn his seventh start this season and his sixth midweek nod. Queener boasts a 4.66 ERA and has struck out 43 batters, including a career-best nine against Memphis a few weeks ago. Belmont's weekend pitching staff has also been stellar on the mound this season with two of the three ranking in the top-2 in strike outs. Sophomore Dylan King (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) leads the league with 89 and junior Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.) right behind him with 73 Ks in eleven starts this season. The trio - including Connor Etheridge (Springfield, Ill.) - has tossed 219 of the squad's combined 367 strike outs in 2017. The Bruins have also seen extensive production from their bullpen with 11 different pitchers taking the hill for Belmont. Sophomore Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) leads the OVC with 31 appearances, tossing 40.1 innings and earning a record of 2-3 on the mound. Senior closer Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) has earned all seven of Belmont's saves this season - ranking second in the league.
KOCHER COLLECTS
Junior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) produced a career-best outing at the plate against Murray State (4.30), collecting seven RBIs in the squad's 14-4 victory over the Racers. He had tallied five in his first two plate appearances and brought in multiple runs for the Bruins in each of his three hits.
GOING HUNTING
Sophomore Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) has blasted all four of his home runs this season in the Bruins last 10 contests, including launching a grand slam in the first inning at Lipscomb (4.25) last week.
NINE IS (ALMOST) ENOUGH
Belmont endured its first extra-inning game last weekend, going 12 stanzas against Murray State. Each of their first 40 games had been decided in the allotted nine innings. It was the first time since joining the NCAA the Bruins haven't had an extended contest through their first 40 matchups. The fewest extra-inning games BU has played was one in 2010 vs Eastern Illinois (2.28), while their longest game went to 15 frames vs Stetson in the Atlantic Sun tournament in 2012 (5.23).
LOTZ OF KLOTZ
Sophomore Kyle Klotz has been the go-to hurler in the Bruins bullpen all season long, making 31 appearances on the mound while compiling 40.1 innings of work. The right-handed reliever has tallied an ERA of 5.36 on the year, striking out 25 batters. In his conference leading 31 appearances Klotz boasts a 2-3 record on the hill for Belmont.
THE ROYAL TREATMENT
Sophomore hurlers Dylan King and Casey Queener have proven to be effective on the mound all season. Both righties have logged 11 strike out performances this year, collectively fanning 132 batters over the course of the 2017 campaign.
EGLI STANDS WITH THE BEST
Nick Egli hasn't only been effective in the Ohio Valley Conference, but he's also making his mark in the nation ranking in the top-six in three different statistical categories. He sits third in slugging percentage (.807), fifth in on base percentage (.512) and sixth in batting average (.407). The senior is also on a 13-game hitting streak that dates back to the series finale at Austin Peay (4.9) - he's reached base in each of Belmont's last 26 contests. The last time Egli hasn't made it aboard is on March 17 against Morehead State.
