Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Behind dominant pitching and dynamic baserunning, the Belmont University baseball team cruised to a pair of wins over Toledo, 7-2 in Game 1 and 5-0 in Game 2, on Saturday at E.S. Rose Park.
Carson Shacklett continued his torrid stretch at the plate, building off a 4-for-4 night in Friday's contest with a 3-for-4 showing across the two games on Saturday with two RBIs and a double.
Left-handers Andy Bean (W, 1-0) and Dominic Baratta (W, 1-0) each provided quality starts on the mound in their season debuts, combining for ten innings pitched with ten strikeouts and just one run allowed.
Making his first start of the season, Bean was masterful from the jump in the first game of the doubleheader, striking out six Rockets and allowing only two baserunners. Toledo was able to scratch across just one run on Bean, on an RBI groundout in the third inning.
Dusty Baird came on in relief and threw two solid innings, allowing just one run on two hits.
Offensively, Guy Lipscomb set the tone in the first inning after drawing a leadoff walk before stealing second and third base.
In the second inning, after a Shacklett single and a Jack Capobianco walk, Grayson Taylor came through with a two-out RBI single to left field to put the Bruins on the board. Shortly after, Lipscomb blazed down the line to beat out a huge infield single that scored two more runs, giving Bean a 3-0 cushion.
Belmont would tack on to their lead with a three-run fourth inning, with Shacklett, Capobianco, and Jackson Campbell all coming across to score on a throwing error and a two-RBI knock from Taylor.
The final run for the Bruins came in the fifth inning, when Campbell cashed in on a Tommy Crider double with a single to left field.
Lipscomb finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and three stolen bases, Taylor went 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Campbell ended up 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Baratta was splendid in his Belmont debut, combining with Chandler Schultz for a three-hit shutout.
The sophomore transfer went five full innings with four strikeouts and just one walk, scattering three hits.
Schultz then entered and picked up right where the lefty left off, overpowering Toledo with a dominant performance in the final two innings. The right-hander from Nashville gave up no hits and recorded four strikeouts with one walk.
Belmont jumped all over Toledo starter Connor Brandon in the first inning, with Lipscomb working a leadoff walk and then stealing second base, his fourth stolen bag of the day. John Behrends then walked before Brodey Heaton singled to load the bases.
After Lipscomb scored on a wild pitch, Carson Shacklett belted a double to left field to drive in two more and give Belmont a 3-0 lead.
The Bruins made it 4-0 in the second frame on a Logan Jarvis single that scored Grayson Taylor, who had doubled to lead off the inning.
The home side then added one final piece of insurance with an orchestrated play that saw Shacklett steal second base with the throw down allowing Crider to score from third.
Shacklett ended the game 2-for-2 with two RBI and Taylor finished his night 1-for-2 with a run and a walk.
The Bruins will go for the series win over Toledo with a Sunday afternoon tilt against the Rockets at E.S. Rose Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Dr. Rich Tiner will have the play-by-play call on the Bruin Sports Network beginning at 12:50 p.m., and live stats will be available on BelmontBruins.com
