Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A ten-run fifth inning doomed the Belmont University baseball team on Tuesday in their bid to upset No. 4 Vanderbilt, as the Bruins fell, 13-4, in a neutral site contest at First Horizon Park.
Belmont (14-8) led the Commodores 3-1 midway through the fourth inning, but Vanderbilt (18-2) tied the game 3-3 in the fourth and blew it wide open with a ten-run fifth inning that saw 14 batters come to the plate.
The Bruins used ten pitchers in the game, and in all, 26 Belmont players and 22 Vanderbilt players appeared in the game, with a parade of pinch-hitters and defensive replacements getting playing time in the final few innings.
Vanderbilt struck first in the first inning with an RBI single to go up 1-0. The Commodores then threatened in the second inning, loading the bases and forcing the exodus of Belmont starter Jordan Zuger, but Ethan Harden got a groundball double play that was turned by Jack Capobianco, Jack Rando, and Brodey Heaton to end the inning and keep the score at 1-0.
Belmont responded in the top of the third inning with a single from Carson Shacklett before Brodey Heaton doubled to center field to drive in Shacklett, who raced home from first base to score the tying run.
The Bruins took their only lead of the game in the top of the fourth inning, snatching momentum when Jackson Campbell led off with a single before advancing to second on a Vanderbilt throwing error. Tommy Crider then doubled to left field to drive in Campbell and give Belmont a 2-1 lead.
After John Behrends singled to left field, Jack Rando delivered a sacrifice fly to right field that was deep enough to score Crider from third base and give the Bruins a 3-1 lead.
However, the Commodores would quickly answer in the home half of the fourth inning with two runs to tie, bringing the game even at 3-3.
Lane Lamberth was able to get a quick groundout to start the fifth inning, and appeared primed to get his second out when a groundball was hit to third. However, Logan Jarvis had trouble handling it, allowing the Commodore batter to reach, and was tagged with one of three Bruin errors on the day.
The very next batter, Carter Young, proceeded to hit a two-run home run, and Vanderbilt would not look back. Eight straight Vanderbilt batters came to the plate before a second out in the fifth inning was recorded, with 14 Commodores in all coming to the dish to face three different Bruin pitchers in the frame.
When the dust cleared, Vanderbilt had brought across ten runs in the fifth inning to take a 13-3 lead.
Aside from an RBI groundout from Jack Capobianco in the ninth inning, no more runs would come across, as Vanderbilt cruised the rest of the way to the win, their third straight in the all-time series against Belmont.
Belmont opens up conference play with a three-game series against OVC rival Austin Peay at E.S. Rose Park this weekend. Games are scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The games on Friday and Sunday will be streamed live on ESPN+, and all three games will feature audio play-by-play on the Bruin Sports Network.
