Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont Baseball secured the series sweep over the UT Martin Skyhawks on Sunday after a 12-inning showdown. The Bruins defeated the Skyhawks 9-8 after a balk scored the winning run.
Belmont once again took an early lead, scoring in the first inning for the third time this weekend. After junior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) laid down the first hit of the game, Junior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) delivered a RBI double to score the first run of the game.
Junior Casey Queener (Brentwood, Tenn.) got the start on the bump for the Bruins. He was able to retire the Skyhawks in order in five of the first six innings. Queener recorded a season-high nine strikeouts on the day.
Freshman Jackson Campbell (Russellville, Ky.) added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth after hitting his second home run of the season to give Belmont a 3-0 lead after four innings.
Devon Gardner once again got things going in the bottom of the fifth with a single to left center field. Chas Hadden and senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) loaded the bases with two consecutive outs. Senior Cully Day (Mahomet, Ill.) stepped up to the plate with two outs and three base runners. He drove in three more runs with a base clearing triple to extend the Belmont lead 6-0.
Belmont's bats went cold after that, only recording one more hit through nine innings.
UT Martin would make a rally in the top of the seventh to tie things up. After taking advantage of five hits and two walks, the Skyhawks plated six to put pressure on the Bruins.
Belmont didn't allow UT Martin to register a hit in the final two innings to keep them scoreless. The Bruins headed to the bottom of the ninth looking for more heroics on the weekend to complete the series sweep. After two quick outs, Hadden stepped up to the plate and blasted a ball to right field. Hadden was robbed of what looked sure to be a home run when the Skyhawks right fielder reached over the fence and made a spectacular catch to keep the game alive.
The Skyhawks wasted no time, taking the lead in the top of the tenth. Their leadoff man knocked a base hit and the Bruins allowed two walks that loaded the bases with one out. One man scored on a sac fly and one scored on a wild pitch to tak a 8-6 lead.
Kocher, who had the walk-off homer in Saturday afternoon's game, was the leadoff man for the Bruins. He once again came up big and got himself on base with a single to right field. After quick out, Jackson Campbell delivered his second home run of the game and it was a big one. His long ball plated two run that tied the game back up.
After a scoreless 11th inning, the squads would head to the decisive 12th inning. UT Martin got two on base after both men were hit by a pitch but stranded both of them.
Kocher once again led off with a single up the middle to give the Bruins an early base runner. Day worked a walk that advanced Kocher to scoring position. Freshman Jordan Henshaw (New Market, Ala.) delivered a ground out that advanced Kocher to third. The game was decided when the UT Martin pitcher was called for a balk that allowed Kocher to score the winning run.
Relief pitcher, junior Kyle Klotz (Fairview, Tenn.) picked up his first win of the season. He threw the final two innings for the Bruins allowing no hits and striking out one.
Seven pitchers saw time on the hill for the Bruins.
UP NEXT
Belmont will host Middle Tennessee for a midweek tune-up on Tuesday at E.S. Rose Park before heading to SIUE next weekend for another conference series. First pitch Tuesday is slated for 4:00 p.m. CT.
