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Dominic Baratta_WIU Sunday Recap
Caleigh Furyk
3
Western Illinois WIU 3-12
4
Winner Belmont BEL 7-10
Western Illinois WIU
3-12
3
Final
4
Belmont BEL
7-10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Illinois WIU 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 3 10 0
Belmont BEL 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 X 4 6 0

W: Thielke, Jett (2-0) L: Cam Howard (0-1) S: Harden, Ethan (2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Pulls Out 4-3 Win Over Western Illinois on Sunday

Dominic Baratta Strikes Out 11, Mason Landers Hits Go-Ahead Home Run in Tight Victory

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Behind an 11-strikeout performance from Dominic Baratta and late home runs from Jeff Clarke and Mason Landers, the Belmont University baseball team escaped a tight game against Western Illinois on Sunday, besting the Leathernecks, 4-3, at E.S. Rose Park. 

Belmont (7-10) brought across three runs in the sixth inning and one more in the seventh frame to walk away with the victory and salvage the home series against Western Illinois (3-12). 

Baratta set the tone early on the mound for the Bruins, tossing six sparkling innings while allowing just one run with a career-high 11 strikeouts and two walks. The 11 punchouts are the most by a Bruin since Andy Bean recorded 13 last season against UT Martin on the road. 

Jett Thielke (W, 2-0) earned the win in relief after coming on in the seventh inning.  

Ethan Harden (SV, 2) picked up his second save in a week, taking the hill in the eighth inning with two outs from his spot in center field and recording three strikeouts on the way to shutting the door. 

Belmont entered the bottom of the sixth inning trailing, 1-0, but Jeff Clarke, in off the bench, hit a missile to right field in his first plate appearance of the day for his first home run of the season, tying the game at 1-1. 

Later in the frame, Jack Rando and Max Jones drew walks and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. In a two-strike count with two outs, Sam Kirkpatrick singled up the middle to drive in both men and give Belmont a 3-1 advantage. 

Western Illinois responded quickly, tying the game in the top of the seventh, 3-3. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Mason Landers delivered his second go-ahead home run of the season, a solo blast to right field that put Belmont in front 4-3. 

When Thielke ran into trouble in the eighth, the Bruins called upon Harden, who got a strikeout to strand two Leatherneck runners and then closed things out in the ninth. 

Up Next 

Belmont will take on top-25 Vanderbilt on Tuesday night in a highly anticipated matchup at First Horizon Park, the home of the Nashville Sounds. 

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, and live radio play-by-play will be carried on the Bruin Sports Network. 

Tickets are available here. 

Follow Belmont baseball on social media - @BelmontBaseball on Twitter and @belmontbaseball on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.                    

#ItsBruinTime 

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