Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont Baseball dropped a 7-4 decision to Bradley on a chilly Friday night.
Belmont started off well, retiring the first three batters they faced. Belmont gave up three hits in the top of the second, but put together a couple defensive plays, including a double play to keep the Braves at bay.
Belmont got things going in the bottom of the second. Senior Austin Reynolds (Smyrna, Tenn.) recorded the first hit of the game with a single to right field. Freshman Jackson Campbell (Russellville, Ky.) follow that up with a base hit of his own to push Reynolds to scoring position. Junior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) recorded the third hit of the inning with an RBI single to put the Bruins ahead early.
Bradley would even the score in the top of the third. After a single and a stolen base, Luke Shadid crossed the plate as the batter after him sent a shot to right field. Senior Tyler Vaughn (Jonesboro, Ill.) was able to keep Bradley from making any more moves with a strikeout to end the inning.
Belmont scored again in the bottom of the third. Junior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) led off with a double to left field. With a runner in scoring position, junior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) stepped up to the plate. Hadden grounded out, but recorded a RBI to send Holland home and retake the lead. Later in the inning, senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) got his first hit of the night with a single up the middle of the field. Reynolds stepped up once again and hit a beautiful ball down the left line for his first RBI of the night increasing the lead 3-1.
Bradley wouldn't let up, starting off the top of the fourth with a solo home run shot to right field. After a double and a single, the Braves found their way across the plate yet again to knot the score at 3-3.
Belmont struggled from the plate for the next few innings while Bradley heated up. The Braves scored two runs in the top of the seventh and one in the top of the eighth to take the lead for the first time.
Reynolds registered his third hit of the night with another shot down the left line in the bottom of the eighth. His RBI double sent Hadden home to chip at the Bradley lead.
After allowing a run in the top of the ninth, Belmont had work to do to stay in the game. Bradley retired BU's first two batters in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Kyle Conger (Brentwood, Tenn.) put together a nice at-bat to get to first base on a walk before Holland grounded out for the final out of the contest.
Vaughn pitched four innings and struck out two. Sophomore's Jack Rettig (Mahomet, Ill) and Brandon Liskey (Harrisonburg, Va.) saw time on the mound along with freshman Kyle Brennan (Franklin, Tenn.)
Belmont will see Bradley for game two of the series Saturday March 3rd. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.
