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Box Score 2 NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont University baseball team split the Battle of the Boulevard doubleheader with Lipscomb on Tuesday at Rose Park, winning game one 5-4 and losing game two 10-9.
Junior Grayson Taylor tied a career-high three hits in his first game of the 2021 season in game two, with freshman Mason Landers belting two home runs in the second game in the process. Landers is the first Belmont Baseball player since Chandler Adkins to hit two home runs in a game, with Adkins accomplishing that feat on March 8, 2020 at Morehead State.
Junior Kyle Brennan struck out a season-high six strikeouts in game one on the mound, earning his second win of the season in the process.
Game 1
Lipscomb led the top of the first inning in game one with a lead-off bunt single, snagging a 2-0 lead off a home run in the next at-bat. Following two singles in the top of the fourth inning, the Bisons hit a bunt single that scored another run and pushed them in front by three runs.
A wild pitch and throwing error in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed Belmont to get its first run of the game, with a double from junior Logan Jarvis and a single from freshman Drew Lowry allowing the Bruins to tie the game 3-3. Lipscomb retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run, but the Bruins responded in the following half-inning.
Lowry collected his second RBI of the day in the bottom of the sixth inning to bring home the tying run, with a sacrifice fly from freshman Guy Lipscomb allowing the Bruins to take a 5-4 lead. Despite a single by the Bisons, Brennan forced two strikeouts and a line out in the top of the seventh inning to give Belmont the game one victory.
Game 2
Lipscomb started game two by scoring five unanswered runs through the first two innings, but the Bruins cut the deficit in the bottom of the second inning. Getting two runners on base, Landers hit his second home run of the season to drive in three runs and cut the Lipscomb lead 5-3.
The Bisons scored three more runs in the top of the third inning, with an RBI from freshman Brodey Heaton cutting the Lipscomb lead 8-4 after three innings. Following a sacrifice fly from Lipscomb in the top of the fourth inning that scored another run, Landers responded with his second home run of the day to add a Belmont run.
A balk scored Taylor from third base in the bottom of the sixth inning, with a single from freshman Jack Rando scoring two more Belmont runs and cutting the deficit to one. Lipscomb added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning, hitting a solo home run to give the Bisons a 10-8 lead.
Taylor collected an RBI single to right field that scored another Belmont run in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Lipscomb, however, forced three straight putouts to take game two and split the doubleheader with Belmont.
Belmont (12-14) returns to Ohio Valley Conference action on Friday, traveling to Jacksonville State for a 6 p.m. game.
