Box Score KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont Baseball dropped a 9-2 decision in Knoxville Tuesday night to the University of Tennessee Volunteers.
The Bruins wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. On the first pitch of the second at-bat of the night, junior Devon Gardner (Maryville, Tenn.) gave the Bruins an early lead with a solo home run well over the left field fence.
The Volunteers put together a threat early, putting a runner in scoring position with a double down the left line, but sophomore Justin Fowlkes (Collierville, Tenn.) struck out one and forced a fly out to end the inning, preserving the Belmont lead.
Tennessee took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the second with a two-out double that scored two runs. The Vols would tack on one more run in the bottom of the third extending their lead 3-1.
In the top of the fourth, Junior Chas Hadden (Morristown, Tenn.) worked a one out walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position, but he was stranded as the next two Belmont batters went down swinging.
Freshman Chandler Schultz (Nashville, Tenn.) took over the mound for the Bruins in the bottom of the fourth and made an immediate impact, forcing Belmont's only three up, three down inning of the contest.
Belmont threatened again in the top of the fifth after sophomore Michael Matter (Ft. Myers, Fla.) took advantage of his second career at-bat. He rocketed a double to deep right field. He then got himself 90 feet from home plate advancing on a wild pitch, but he was stranded there.
UT took advantage of a couple hit batsmen and a Belmont error that allowed three more runs to cross home plate extending the lead 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
Belmont ended its scoring drought in the top of the sixth. Leadoff man Gardner got his second hit of the night sending a base hit down the right side and stealing a bag to put himself in scoring position. He advanced to third on a groundout by sophomore Matt Cogen (Franklin, Tenn.) before scoring off a sacrifice fly from Hadden to cut the lead 6-2. With two outs, senior Ben Kocher (Zionsville, Ind.) laid down a base hit of his own and Reynolds worked a walk to put two more Bruins on base, but they were stranded there as the next batter lined out to the Vols shortstop.
UT recorded another base hit in the bottom of the sixth and took advantage of another Belmont error to plate their seventh run of the contest. In the next inning, the Vols extended the lead 9-2 after a two-run long ball made its way just over the left field fence that would round out the nights scoring.
Seven Bruins saw time on the mound, but Fowlkes took his fifth loss of the season. Fowlkes pitched two innings, striking out one.
Devon Gardner led Belmont's offense with two hits, both runs, and a RBI.
UP NEXT
Belmont will return home to E.S. Rose Park this weekend to host conference foe Austin Peay. First pitch of the three-game series s slated for 4:00 p.m. April 6.
