Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Holding a slim lead after the seventh inning, the Belmont University baseball team coughed up three runs in the top of the eighth and fell to Austin Peay on Saturday, 8-7, at E.S. Rose Park.
The back-and-forth affair saw seven lead changes in all, with the final and decisive change handing the Governors their first conference win.
Belmont (15-9, 1-1 OVC) led 6-5 heading into the eighth inning, but the Governors took advantage of three walks and tagged Kyle Brennan (L, 1-2) for three runs to take an 8-6 advantage.
The Bruins responded with two outs in the eighth inning, getting back-to-back doubles from Austin Ehren and John Behrends to make it 8-7, but the Bruins were retired in order in the ninth to end the game.
Behrends, Logan Jarvis, Brodey Heaton, and Tommy Crider each finished with two hits. The Bruins finished with 11 hits as a team, marking the sixth time in the last seven games that they have recorded double-digit hits.
Austin Peay's win on Saturday sets up a decisive third game of the series on Sunday at E.S. Rose Park, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.
Andy Bean pitched well for the Bruins, going six innings on the mound and allowing eight hits and three earned runs while picking up four strikeouts to just one walk.
Brennan, Lane Lamberth, and Dominic Baratta also saw time on the mound, with Baratta pitching a scoreless ninth to give the Bruins the rally opportunity in the bottom of the frame.
After Austin Peay jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning, Brodey Heaton continued his hot stretch with a two-run home run to left field that was measured at 370 feet. Heaton is now 9-for-21 with two home runs and nine RBIs over his last six games.
Following a Governors' two-run hit, Sam Hedges delivered an RBI single to right field that scored Jack Rando in the second inning, tying the game at 3-3.
In the fifth, Heaton recorded his third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center that was deep enough to allow Carson Shacklett to tag from third base. Later in the inning, Crider doubled to left-center to score Logan Jarvis from first base and hand Belmont a 5-4 lead.
After the Governors tied it in the top of the seventh inning, Crider again delivered a big hit with an RBI single to center field that scored Heaton.
However, Austin Peay would rally to plate three runs in the eighth off Brennan and held on to even the series at one game apiece.
Heaton finished 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, while Crider went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.
Belmont will face Austin Peay in the series finale on Sunday at E.S. Rose Park. Belmont LHP Jalen Borders (1-1, 3.24 ERA) will take the mound for the Bruins.
First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m., with the game streamed on ESPN+. Audio play-by-play will be simulcast on the Bruin Sports Network, and live stats will be available on BelmontBruins.com.
