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Box Score 2 JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The rubber match between Belmont University baseball and Jacksonville State is set for tomorrow, with the Bruins winning game two of Saturday's doubleheader 5-3 following an 8-4 game one defeat at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Field.
Saturday's game two win gives Belmont's Dave Jarvis 662 wins as the Bruins' head coach, needing just two more wins to pass Dave Whitten (1969-1997) to become the winningest head coach in program history. Jarvis and Whitten had a close relationship until Whitten's death in 2012, where Whitten served as an assistant and pitching coach under Jarvis from 1998-2000.
Game One
Jacksonville State struck first with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning, but freshman Brodey Heaton quickly responded in the next half-inning. His second home run of the season scored two runs after a leadoff single from junior Logan Jarvis, giving the Bruins a one-run cushion.
It didn't take long for the Gamecocks to regain the lead, who used a five-run bottom of the fourth inning spark to widen the lead 6-2. After a pair of shutout innings, Jarvis hit his fourth home run of the season to lead off the top of the seventh inning. Sophomore Tommy Crider hit his second home run of the season later in the inning, cutting Jacksonville State's lead in half.
The Gamecocks added to its lead in the bottom of the eighth inning, scoring a pair of runs off a passed ball and a double play to make it an 8-4 game. Jacksonville State forced Belmont to retire in order in the top of the ninth inning, allowing the Gamecocks to take game one.
Playing only 10 miles away from his hometown of Alexandria, Ala., freshman Jalen Borders matched a season-high three strikeouts in a career-high 3.2 innings pitched. Jarvis and Heaton led the Bruins offensively in game one, each recording two hits.
Game Two
Following a one-out double from Crider in the top of the second inning, freshman Austin Ehren drove in Belmont's first run of game two with a single to right center field. Jacksonville State answered back to tie the game in the next half-inning, hitting an RBI single to center field.
Loading the bases with two outs, Jarvis drew a bases loaded walk to bring in the go-ahead run for Belmont in the top of the fifth inning. Heaton followed that up with a single that drove in two more runs, pushing Belmont to a 4-1 advantage.
A two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning allowed Jacksonville State to cut the deficit to one run, with a sacrifice fly from Jarvis in the top of the seventh inning keeping Belmont in front 5-3. Pitching the final two innings, sophomore Aaron Hubbell struck out the first four batters he faced and forced a lineout and pop up in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the game two win.
Freshman Andy Bean earned his third win of the season, collecting five strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work while Hubbell earned his second save of the season.
Belmont (13-15, 7-7) looks to clinch the series at Jacksonville State on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. Live stats and ESPN+ will be available for fans courtesy of Jacksonville State Athletics.
