Box Score MARTIN, Tenn. - The Belmont University baseball team dropped its Ohio Valley Conference opener on Thursday 9-6 at UT Martin on Thursday night.
Sophomore John Behrends tied a career-high three hits and three RBIs, hitting his third career home run in the process. Freshman Jack Rando collected his first career multi-hit game and sophomore Carson Shacklett picked up his second multi-hit game of the season.
Sophomore Jack Capobianco drove in two RBIs, marking the third time this season where he has recorded multiple RBIs. Junior Logan Bowen recorded four strikeouts and junior Stone Selby along with Justin Fowlkes each collected a pair of strikeouts on the mound.
With 12 hits on Thursday, Belmont recorded a season-high in that category for a nine-inning game. Freshman Brodey Heaton extended his hitting streak to four games while Behrends pushed his hitting streak to three games.
UT Martin struck first in the bottom of the first inning, driving in the game's first run off a grounder to short following a walk and a single. After a two-out double in the bottom of the second inning, the Skyhawks collected an RBI single to take a two-run lead.
Shacklett and junior Logan Jarvis were hit by a pitch in the top of the fifth inning to go with a single by Behrends, loading the bases and putting the tying run in scoring position. Capobianco collected a single to left field, bringing home two runs to knot the score up 2-2.
Two home runs allowed UT Martin to take a four-run lead at the end of the sixth inning, but Jarvis responded with his second home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning to cut the deficit down to one run. A leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning set up another two-run home run for UT Martin, with a solo bomb later in the inning pushing the Skyhawks out to a 9-3 advantage.
A pair of singles in the top of the eighth inning set up Behrends to collect three RBIs off his first home run of the season, cutting the deficit in half. The Bruins did not allow a hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, but were forced into a 1-2-3 inning to end things in the top of the ninth.
Belmont (3-6) will play a doubleheader with UT Martin at 11 a.m. on Friday. Live stats will be available courtesy of UT Martin.
