NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont baseball heads to Tennessee Tech for a three-game OVC series May 5-7. The opening game is slated to start at 6 p.m. at Bush Stadium on May 5.
ABOUT THE BRUINS
Belmont takes on the current OVC front runners, Tennessee Tech, in its final conference road test of the year. The Bruins head to Clarkesville, Tenn. with a 22-21 overall record and sitting third with a league mark of 14-10. The squad will have its hands full as the Golden Eagles have only endured three losses against conference foes and have yet to drop a home contest in such games.
Offensively, BU has been headed by the veteran duo 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-eight in the nation in slugging percentage (second), on base percentage (third) and batting average (eighth). The veteran has reached base in each of Belmont's last 27 contests while collecting a hit in 14 consecutive games. Bournigal sits right behind Egli, producing a .326 batting average on 45 hits and 20 RBIs - he is one of seven Bruins to record at least 20 RBIs this season. Belmont sits atop the league with 58 stolen bases as senior Tyler Walsh (Evansville, Ind.) leads the charge, having robbed 15 bases in his 18 attempts. Collectively, the team has registered 382 hits, 251 runs and 225 RBIs.
Belmont's weekend pitching staff has been rather dominant 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 32 appearances, tossing 41.1 innings and earning a record of 2-3 on the mound. Senior closer Dom Veltri (Clarksville, Tenn.) has earned all eight of Belmont's saves this season - ranking second in the league.
KING OF THE HILL
King leads the conference in Ks with 89 in 65.2 innings of work - the mark also ranks him 12th in the nation. The right-handed hurler tossed a career-best 12 strikeouts against Murray State (4.28) - bettering his previous career record of 11 Ks earlier in his sophomore campaign. The Murfreesboro, Tenn. is the only Bruin that has sat down more than 10 batters via strikeout in multiple games in 2017 - he's done so five times. King ranks fifth in the OVC with an ERA of 4.11.
ELI 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-eight in three different statistical categories. He sits second in slugging percentage (.824), third in on base percentage (.517) and eighth in batting average (.408). The senior is also on a 14-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 27 contests. The last time Egli hasn't made it aboard is on March 17 against Morehead State.
SAVING THE DAY
Senior reliever Dom Veltri has recorded all eight of the Bruins saves on the hill this season. Eight saves is the most he's garnered in a single season during his four-year career. He's been their go-to hurler in the final innings of closely contested games, throwing 27.1 innings in 21 appearances. The Clarkesville, Tenn. native has struck out 20 batters while compiling an ERA of 2.96.
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).
ZERO TO SIXTY
It takes little time for senior infielder Tyler Walsh to turn on the speed as he's displayed on multiple occasions this year. He's robbed three bags in an outing during two contests this season. The speedster boasts a 15-for-18 record when attempting to steal. In his third stolen base at Lipscomb (4.25), Walsh carved his name atop the Belmont baseball record book having hijacked 60 bases in his career - the most any Bruin has compiled since becoming a NCAA institution. He passed Matt Reynolds (2004-07) who previous own the title with 59.
FRIDAY FEATURE
Right-handed pitcher Tyler Vaughn has earned the Friday start for the Bruins in every one of the squad's weekend series. In his 11 appearances, the hurler has struck out 73 batters through 70.1 innings of work - ranking him second in the league behind teammate, Dylan King. Most recently the righty tossed a complete game in the series opener against Eastern Illinois (4.13) where he only allowed one run in the ninth frame. It was just his second complete game of his career. The Jonesboro, Ill. product tossed a career-best 11 Ks against Morehead State (3.17). He holds an ERA of 5.50 so far in his junior campaign.
