Box Score OXFORD, Miss. - The Belmont University baseball team gave No. 4 Ole Miss all they could handle on Saturday at Swayze Field, but the Bruins came up short 4-3 in game two of the series.
Freshman Brodey Heaton recorded his first multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Sophomore Joshua South pitched six innings and only gave up six hits in his start on the mound, with sophomore Aaron Hubbell coming up with three strikeouts and junior Stone Selby not allowing a hit in his appearance.
"Our response (following Friday's game) was appropriate and the team did a great job of finding their competitive spirit," head coach Dave Jarvis said. "Joshua South did a tremendous job for us on the mound today and put us in a position to win the game. I thought his effort along with Aaron Hubbell and Stone Selby showed tremendous poise throughout the game."
Falling victim to two strikeouts in the first two at-bats of the game, sophomore Tommy Crider gave Belmont the early one-run lead thanks to his first home run of the season in the top of the first inning. The home run marks the second consecutive season where Crider has hit a home run against a Power 5 opponent, hitting a homer against Kansas in 2020.
Following a walk and a single with one out in the top of the third inning, a single down the right field line from John Behrends allowed Belmont to score its second run of the game. A sacrifice fly from Crider later in the inning gave the Bruins a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third.
"Getting the lead early is always a benefit," Jarvis said. "However, it is not a requirement to win the game."
After a one-out double to left center by Ole Miss, the Rebels collected an RBI single to cut the Belmont lead to two runs in the bottom of the third inning. A single and a walk loaded the bases later in the inning, with Ole Miss tying the game 3-3 off a fielder's choice and a Belmont error.
The Bruins were in a bases loaded jam with two outs when Ole Miss got on base from a fielding error, single and hit by pitch in the bottom of the sevening inning. Hubbell, however, forced a two-out flyout to center field to prevent any damage.
It was Ole Miss, however, that collected the game-winning run, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the 4-3 lead. Belmont got the tying run on base in the top of the ninth inning with one out, but a pick off and a groundout to second base allowed the Rebels to close in on its second win of the series.
"We did a much better job of competing today and again, our response was appropriate," Jarvis said. "We are looking forward to another opportunity to compete against the No. 4 team in the country tomorrow."
Belmont (3-4) closes out the series with No. 4 Ole Miss on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at Swayze Field.
