Box Score
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- An onslaught of long balls put the Belmont University baseball team on the wrong end of an 18-0 shutout at the hands of No. 1 Tennessee on Tuesday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Belmont (35-18, 16-5 OVC) collected just four hits on the night going up against the top pitching staff in the country, with extra-base hits coming from Guy Lipscomb and Brodey Heaton.
The Bruins threatened in the top of the first inning when Lipscomb punched a double to right-center field before stealing third base with two outs. However, after Lipscomb was stranded there to end the inning, it would be the furthest a Belmont baserunner would get the entire night.
Tennessee (46-7, 22-5 SEC) hit four home runs in the first three innings and led 10-0 going into the fourth frame. The Volunteers ended up with six home runs in the game, the most given up by the Belmont pitching staff all season and as many home runs as the Bruins have allowed in the last ten games combined.
The Bruins were able to put the ball in play frequently, only striking out six times on the evening. However, the Volunteers defense committed just one error and made a handful of diving plays to rob Belmont batters of base-hits.
The loss wraps up Belmont's midweek slate this season, with the Bruins ending the year 6-6 in midweek games.
Belmont will head to Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Thursday with an opportunity to clinch the program's first OVC championship. The Bruins are currently one game ahead of Southeast Missouri with three games to play in the conference slate.
Belmont has already locked up a top-two seed in next week's OVC Championship, their highest seed since joining the conference in 2013.
Belmont will face the Cougars on Thursday at 5 p.m., Friday at 5 p.m., and Saturday at 1 p.m.
