Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont University baseball team dropped the first game of the series to Eastern Illinois 5-2 on Friday at Rose Park.
Belmont's pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts, led by sophomore Joshua South with seven in six innings pitched. Sophomore John Behrends extended his hitting streak to 10 games, marking the second time in the last two seasons where a Belmont Baseball player has had a 10-game hitting streak. The last person to accomplish that feat was Grayson Taylor, who held a double-digit streak from April 13-28 during the 2019 season.
A leadoff single and a hit by pitch in the bottom of the second inning put two runners on base for Belmont, getting runners at the corners with one out after a bunt. Following another hit by pitch that loaded the bases, freshman Kevin Okins hit a single to left field that drove in a pair of runs to give Belmont an early 2-0 lead.
Behrends hit a one-out triple to start the bottom of the third inning, but a strikeout and a flyout prevented a Belmont run from reaching home. With Behrends having a pair of triples this season, Belmont now has had at least one player hit at least two triples in 22 of the last 23 seasons.
After a shutout third inning, Eastern Illinois used a leadoff walk and a double to get runners in scoring position with no outs in the top of the fourth inning. EIU hit a one-out single to right field to tie the game, with a double to left field bringing in the go-ahead run for the Panthers.
EIU got two runners on base with one out in the top of the seventh inning, doubling its lead with an RBI single to right field. Belmont looked to respond in the bottom of the seventh inning, getting two leadoff runners on and executing a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position with one out. The Bruins, however, were forced into two strikeouts that allowed EIU to protect its lead.
A hit by pitch and throwing error in the top of the ninth inning allowed another EIU runner to get into scoring position, with a single up the middle giving the Panthers to take a 5-2 lead. EIU retired six of Belmont's final seven batters, resulting in the Panthers taking game one of the series.
"We've got to be better offensively. We've got to put together better at-bats and have a better approach at the plate," head coach Dave Jarvis said. "There were two or three plays that happened that could have changed the ball game, but we didn't take advantage of those opportunities when we had them. We've got a lot of work to do in order to change the outcome tomorrow."
Belmont (9-13, 4-6) wraps up the series with EIU on Saturday, with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Rose Park. Live stats and online radio through the Bruins Sports Network will be available to fans.
