Box Score RICHMOND, Ky. - The Belmont University baseball team dropped the first game of its series at Eastern Kentucky 8-1 on Friday in Richmond, Kentucky.
Sophomore Joshua South recorded five strikeouts in 5.2 innings pitched on the mound while graduate student Dusty Baird struck out four batters in 2.1 innings of work. Eastern Kentucky's Darren Williams only gave up two hits to the Bruins, striking out six batters in eight innings pitched.
EKU looked to strike first in the bottom of the first inning, getting two runners on base with two outs. Belmont, however, forced a two-out flyout to end the first inning unharmed. South collected three strikeouts in the next inning to keep it scoreless after two innings of play.
Following two shutout innings, freshman Guy Lipscomb got Belmont's first hit with a single in the top of the third inning. Lipscomb stole second and third base, eventually scoring the game's first run off an EKU error to give the Bruins a one-run advantage.
EKU responded in the next half-inning, getting the bases loaded with two outs. The Colonels took the lead by scoring two runs off a Belmont error, pushing the lead 3-1 after an RBI single to cap off the third inning.
Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for EKU in the bottom of the sixth inning, with a double clearing the bases and extending the Colonels' lead 6-1. EKU hit another single later in the inning and scored off a Belmont error to lead by six runs.
A solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning added to EKU's lead, with EKU retiring three of Belmont's final four batters to take game one of the series.
Belmont (20-26, 12-13) wraps up the series with EKU on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon. Live stats will be available courtesy of EKU Athletics and Bruin Sports Network will broadcast the game through online radio.
