Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Battling Southeast Missouri for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Belmont University baseball team came up just short in an extra-innings defeat to the Redhawks on Friday night at E.S. Rose Park, 5-4.
After a leadoff infield single from Guy Lipscomb in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied 4-4, the Bruins looked poised to potentially walk-off the game.
However, after Lipscomb stole second on a swinging strike three to Brodey Heaton for the first out, Belmont (27-15, 9-4 OVC) could not move up the winning run any further.
In the top of the tenth inning, Southeast Missouri (29-11, 12-4 OVC) got a solo home run off of Belmont closer Kyle Brennan (L, 1-4) before recording three outs in the bottom of the frame to steal the series opener.
The defeat marks the first time Belmont has lost an extra-innings game, after beating Western Kentucky, 8-7, in ten innings on March 15 in their only extras game prior to Friday night.
Belmont collected just five hits and Southeast Missouri collected just six hits, as both starting pitchers went deep into the game.
Andy Bean was spectacular in his third straight Friday start, facing the minimum during the first four innings where he allowed just one hit, before giving up a solo homer to lead off the fifth. After another Redhawk home run in the sixth, Bean got the third out before handing things off to Will Jenkins to begin the seventh inning.
Belmont did not get a base runner until the fourth inning, when Carson Shacklett was hit by a pitch to start the frame. John Behrends proceeded to single through the right side and Guy Lipscomb then drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out.
After Heaton struck out, Tommy Crider sent a shallow fly ball to center field but not before Shacklett was able to score the game's first run on a wild pitch. After Crider's flyout, the Bruins were facing the possibility of walking away from such an advantageous situation with just the one run.
However, Logan Jarvis delivered a huge two-out double to the right-center gap to score both Behrends and Lipscomb and give Belmont a 3-0 lead.
Jackson Campbell followed that up with an RBI single to center field that drove in Jarvis from second and resulted in a close play at the plate, giving Belmont a 4-0 lead.
After Southeast Missouri cut into the lead with a solo homer in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth, the game entered the seventh inning with the Bruins clinging to a 4-3 lead.
Jenkins provided a clutch outing in relief, helping bridge the gap to Brennan. After a leadoff walk to start the seventh, Jenkins struck out three Redhawks in a row.
In the eighth, Jenkins again walked the leadoff batter, and appeared to get an out on the ensuing batter when Brent Graber laid down a sacrifice bunt but reached first base on an error by the Belmont first baseman, which allowed the lead runner to get to third.
The Redhawks got a sacrifice fly to score the unearned run and tie things at 4-4, setting up the drama in the ninth where the Bruins got a runner at second with one out but could not score, and Southeast Missouri's go-ahead solo homer to take the lead for good in the tenth inning.
Belmont struck out ten times in the contest, while Southeast Missouri struck out eight times.
Belmont will look to even the series with Southeast Missouri on Saturday at E.S. Rose Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Saturday will be Community and Family Day at the ballpark, with face painting, balloon animals, and free giveaways.
The game will not be video streamed, but live audio play-by-play will be broadcast on the Bruin Sports Network.
