Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont University baseball head coach Dave Jarvis is credited for helping the Bruins transition from NAIA to NCAA Division I and guiding the Bruins unprecedented heights.
The 24-year captain of the program's ship achieved another significant milestone on Saturday at Rose Park.
Belmont defeated Murray State 8-2 in game one and 8-5 in game two in Saturday's doubleheader, allowing Jarvis to claim his 664th win to become the winningest coach in program history.
"I feel very blessed to have been a part of that," Jarvis said. "I've said this all along, but players win games. Head coaches get to have the best seat in the house and get to spend time and get to know these kids and try to help them develop. That's why I've always been motivated to go into coaching. It's been a blessing."
Former athletic director Mike Strickland built a relationship with Jarvis during the Ellsinore, Mo., native's time as an assistant coach at Murray State, with Strickland eventually hiring Jarvis to be the successor for the legendary Dave Whitten at Belmont in 1998. Whitten, who had compiled 663 wins from 1969-1997 as Belmont's head coach, stayed on Jarvis' coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Not only did Whitten help the first-year Belmont head coach and the Bruins to a winning record in their first season of competition in NCAA Division I, he also became a great mentor and friend to Jarvis. Jarvis and Whitten had a close relationship until Whitten's death in 2012, with Jarvis still using his mentor's values as the cornerstones for the baseball program.
"My dad always talks about Coach Whitten and what Coach Whitten meant to the program," junior Logan Jarvis said. "Getting to know Coach Whitten a little bit when I was a kid, I know how much he means to my dad. I know how much he meant to this program. I know how much that means to my dad for him to be mentioned in the same sentence with him."
Heading into Saturday's doubleheader with a chance to give their head coach the record-breaking win, the Bruins fueled that motivation from batting practice to first pitch. Belmont's bats caught fire to open game one, with the Bruins jumping out to a quick 4-1 lead at the end of two innings.
After Murray State cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the fourth inning, the Bruins pounced on the Racers by responding with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to give Belmont a 7-1 advantage.
"(Coach Jarvis) has been a big part of my career here," sophomore pitcher Joshua South said. "We all knew that it was that time. Just like he wants us to, we're just going to compete every day and get a W."
Behind four consecutive shutout innings by South after the Bruins added to their lead, Belmont held the Racers at bay. An RBI single from freshman Brodey Heaton in the bottom of the eighth inning added an insurance run for Belmont and extended the lead 8-2.
The Bruins retired Murray State's final three batters in game one, officially making Jarvis the winningest coach in program history.
"It was more motivating when we had a lead late," Logan Jarvis said. "That was really when we wanted to close it out because we knew that record was on the line. We try to keep it in perspective. It's a huge game for the season."
Murray State seeked revenge in game two, attacking with an early 3-0 lead. Behind a three-run home run from sophomore John Behrends and a five-run bottom of the sixth inning, the Bruins quickly regained the advantage.
Despite the Racers picking up a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning, Belmont retired Murray State's final six batters to claim the 8-5 game two win and secured the series.
"Players win these games," Dave Jarvis said. "I feel really blessed to have the opportunity that Mike Strickland and Dr. (William) Trout offered me to come in and steward this program and then of course (Belmont University President) Dr. (Bob) Fisher and now Scott Corley as my athletic director. It's just been a wonderful blessing in my life to have these people to work under and to have the opportunity to be a part of the Belmont University baseball program."
Belmont (16-16, 9-8) will look for the sweep on Sunday against Murray State, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at Rose Park.
