NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Following a doubleheader on the road at Wake Forest, the Belmont University baseball team returns home to face Austin Peay on Tuesday at 4 p.m. at Rose Park. The game will not be reflected in the Ohio Valley Conference standings and will be treated as a non-conference mid-week game.
Austin Peay leads the all-time series 63-39, with the Governors winning the OVC series with Belmont earlier this season in Clarksville.
Tied with Belmont with a 12-12 conference record, Austin Peay is trying to claw its way for a spot in the OVC Tournament. The Governors currently hold a batting average of .258 to go with 36 home runs and 223 runs driven in. Austin Peay holds an earned run average of 6.81 to go with 348 strikeouts on the mound.
Austin Peay is led by Garrett Spain on offense, hitting .315 to go with seven doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBIs. Gino Avros and Malcolm Tipler also add power, hitting over .300 each while driving in almost 40 runs combined to go with three home runs each. Probable starting pitcher Peyton Jula has an ERA of 7.09 to go with 29 strikeouts in 2021.
Game Notes
Sophomore Tommy Crider achieved a milestone in game one of Sunday's doubleheader against Wake Forest. With his fourth career home run in a game against an opponent from a Power 5 conference, Crider now leads Belmont Baseball players in the last decade in home runs against Power 5 conference opponents. Crider is one of seven Belmont Baseball players in the last decade to have multiple home runs in games against Power 5 competition.
Several players in Belmont's lineups rank in the top 50 in several statistical categories in NCAA Division I. Carson Shacklett ranks 18th in hit by pitch, Jack Rando ranks 33rd in sacrifice bunts and Logan Jarvis ranks 36th in on-base percentage, 21st in RBIs and 29th in sacrifice flies.
Belmont has proven that they are never out of an inning when they are down to their last out. Over 25 percent of Belmont's runs scored this season have been with two outs, with the Bruins scoring 65 total runs in 2021 when they are down to their last out. The Bruins have also hit five home runs with two outs this season.
First pitch is set for 4 p.m., with live stats, Bruin Sports Network and ESPN+ all being available to fans. Belmont University announced changes in its mask policy for outdoor events, including Belmont Baseball games at E.S. Rose Park. Masks are now NOT REQUIRED outdoors, EXCEPT in a group or similar settings where social distance cannot be maintained.
Grandstand seating at Rose Park will still be limited to 20 percent of the maximum occupancy. Belmont Athletics will identify where fans can and cannot sit in the grandstands. Belmont Athletics asks fans to observe the reconfigured seating arrangement, including any seats marked as "Reserved".
