Box Score CHARLESTON, Ill – After waiting out a nearly three-hour rain and lightning delay, Belmont dropped a 8-6 decision to conference foe Eastern Illinois in Charleston Friday afternoon.
The Panthers got off to a hot start, scoring two runs in the first and four runs in the fifth to jump out to a 6-0 lead.
The Bruins' bats came alive in the fifth inning. After the first two batters reached on a wild pitch and a hit by pitch, junior Hunter Holland (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) scored the first Belmont run of the night taking advantage of a Panthers error. The Bruins strung together four-consecutive singles to drive in four more runs to cut the lead to one.
EIU responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth to take an 8-5 lead.
Belmont would score again in the top of the sixth inning. Holland got things going once again with a leadoff double. Junior Zach Ehrhart (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) sent a one-out single up the middle to plate Holland, cutting the EIU lead 8-6, before the next two batters were retired.
Neither team would crack the scoreboard for the remainder of the game, and Belmont's comeback rally fell just short.
Game two of the series is slated for Saturday, April 14th. First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m. contingent upon weather.
