Box Score
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The Belmont University baseball team gave No. 24 Alabama all it could handle on Tuesday afternoon in a fiercely fought midweek contest, but came up a little short, 3-1, at Sewell-Thomas Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Trailing 3-1 in the ninth, the Bruins brought the tying run to the plate with two outs thanks to a pinch-hit single from Blake Barton. However, the Alabama reliever struck out Grayson Taylor to end the game.
Zuger tied his longest outing of the season by tossing 3 1/3 innings to give Belmont a strong start, recording three strikeouts and limiting the Crimson Tide to three hits.
The Bruin defense was spectacular all game, with Grayson Taylor providing what may have been the top infield play of the season to take away an Alabama run.
Belmont, ranked eighth in the country in fielding percentage, also turned a double play and did not commit an error.
Jack Capobianco led the Bruins at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and collecting his first three-hit game of the season.
Belmont appeared to strike first in in the second inning after Capobianco doubled down the right field line and then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. After Jackson Campbell flied out to right field, Capobianco tagged and came home, where he danced around two tags from the Alabama catcher before touching home plate. However, Capobianco was ruled out on the play and after a lengthy review, the call stood.
Belmont got their only run in the eighth inning, after John Behrends and Guy Lipscomb orchestrated a double steal to set the table for Brodey Heaton to ground out to first base, driving in Behrends.
The Bruins gave themselves plenty of chances offensively, working deep into counts and getting on base, and were able to move into scoring position with excellent base-running, successfully stealing four bags. However, Belmont went 1-for-14 with runners on and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Belmont will head to Morehead, Ky., for a three-game series with Morehead State that begins on Thursday. The Bruins will play the Eagles on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET, on Friday at 5 p.m. ET, and on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.
The games on Thursday and Saturday will both be streamed on ESPN+, and the Bruin Sports Network will carry live audio play-by-play of all three games in the series for free via Twitter.
