Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Coming away with its third straight walk-off win, the Belmont baseball team defeated Bradley 8-7 on Sunday at Rose Park thanks to a bases loaded RBI single from freshman Drew Lowry in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Junior Kyle Brennan recorded his second win of the season after pitching the final inning while six Belmont players recorded two hits.
"It feels great. That's five wins in a week for our team. I think that will be huge going forward," Lowry said. "Three walk-offs in a row, so we're all pretty excited. Hopefully that will give us some momentum going forward."
Belmont struck first following two leadoff base hits in the top of the first inning, with sophomore Tommy Crider hitting a sacrifice fly to left field to score senior Hagan Severance from third base and give Belmont a 1-0 lead. Bradley responded in the top of the second by getting the bases loaded and scoring two runs off a fielder's choice and Belmont error.
The Bruins tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to junior Jackson Campbell, who hit his second home run of the season. Bradley came away with five runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but Belmont chipped away at the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning after Lowry collected an RBI single to left field to cut the deficit 7-3.
"That will be a staple for us this year, just not giving up and never getting down when we're down five runs or four runs," Lowry said.
Belmont's bats caught fire in the bottom of the seventh inning, with the Bruins drawing three consecutive hits to score a run with no outs. A drawn walk by senior Chandler Adkins loaded the bases and junior Logan Jarvis capitalized with a single to center field to make it a one-run game.
Following a single from sophomore Jack Capobianco, Campbell drove in the tying run off a sacrifice fly to center field.
"You don't really have to talk to this group very much," senior pitcher Justin Fowlkes said. "The freshmen have bought in. Everybody is a family. Everybody cheers for each other. We have fun in the dugout and keep (the energy) up."
After a fly out to start the bottom of the ninth inning, Belmont collected a single and double and drew an intentional walk to load the bases. Lowry delivered on the first pitch he saw, hitting a single to left field that drove in the game-winning run.
With Belmont's winning streak now reaching five games, the Bruins have now won five straight games for the second year in a row.
"We thought they had really good chemistry all along. I have a good feeling about this group," head coach Dave Jarvis said. "One of the things that's even more fun is the way our freshmen are contributing. Our freshmen are making mistakes, but it's not ruining their day. They're rebounding from that and coming back. That shows good character and it shows good support from the upperclassmen. We've had a lot of good contributions from both our younger and older guys in this stretch for sure."
Belmont goes on the road for the first time this season, traveling to North Alabama on Tuesday for a 4 p.m. first pitch.
