Box Score BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Belmont baseball dropped a 4-1 decision to Western Kentucky on Tuesday afternoon.
After two quick outs to start the contest, the Bruins heated up when sophomore Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.) sent a ball to center field for Belmont's first hit of the afternoon. After making it to first base, Cogen advanced to second on a wild pitch. Next at bat was junior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) who rocketed a RBI single to send Cogen across home plate. After taking the early 1-0 lead, Kocher grounded out to end the inning.
Western Kentucky would strike back in the bottom of the first with sophomore Justin Fowlkes (Collierville, Tenn.) on the bump. After their first batter was hit by a pitch, they would knock a couple base hits later in the inning to send the lead-off batter home. The first inning ended all knotted up 1-1.
The Hilltoppers would strike again in the bottom of the third after a walk and a base hit put a runner in scoring position for a sacrifice RBI to take the lead at 2-1.
Belmont's greatest threat came in the top of the fourth. After two quick outs to start the inning, senior Austin Reynolds (Smyrna, Tenn.) blasted a base hit to left field. Senior Cully Day (Mahomet, Ill.) followed that up with a shallow hit to right field that advanced Reynolds to second. Freshman Jordan Henshaw (New Market, Ala.) had a nice at-bat that resulted in a walk to load the bases and force a Hilltopper pitching change. Although Belmont was knocking on the door, the next batter struck out and the Bruins continued to trail 2-1.
Western Kentucky would seal its fate in the bottom of the sixth. The first two batters reached on a walk and a single. The third batter blasted another single to put WKU in scoring position. After a sacrifice fly and another hit, two Hilltoppers would make their way home to take the 4-1 lead at the bottom of the sixth.
Belmont was unable to get anything going on the offensive end for the remainder of the matchup, but the defense stepped up to keep Western Kentucky from striking again.
Freshman Chandler Schultz (Nashville, Tenn.) made an appearance on the mound while freshman Stone Selby (Hohenwald, Tenn.), sophomore Brandon Liskey (Harrisonburg, Va.), and freshman Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.) all pitched an inning for the Bruins.
Three Bruins; Reynolds, Hadden, and Cogen all registered multiple hits on the afternoon with Hadden recording the lone RBI. BU outhit the Hilltoppers 9-8.
UP NEXT
Belmont will be home again this weekend to take part in the Southern Athletic Field Classic. BU will welcome Kent State on Friday at 4:00 pm before facing Fairleigh Dickinson and Indiana State Saturday and Sunday respectively. All games will be held at E.S. Rose Park.
