Baseball Falls In Series Opener at Missouri State on Thursday

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Missouri State erupted for six home runs to defeat the Belmont University baseball team on Thursday afternoon, 17-5, in a run-rule shortened series opener at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri. 

Missouri State (20-16, 9-4 MVC), traditionally among the nation's top home run-hitting teams, scored twelve of their seventeen runs off the long ball, including four on a game-ending grand slam in the eighth inning. 

Belmont (20-19, 5-8 MVC) brought things tighter when Brodey Heaton launched a three-run home run in the seventh inning to make it 7-5 in favor of Missouri State, but the Bears scored four runs in the seventh and six in the eighth to put the game away. 

Sam Slaughter finished 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Heaton ended his day 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBIs.  

The junior first baseman has now homered in three of his last four games, driving in seven runs over that span. 

Due to rain in the forecast, the game got underway at 10 a.m.

Belmont jumped ahead in the second inning, loading the bases with nobody out and scratching across two runs as Chase Katafias and Sam Slaughter drew RBI walks, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead. 

Missouri State got the bats going against the Belmont bullpen in the third inning, getting the first of their six home runs with a two-run shot that put the Bears in front, 3-2. 

Trailing 7-2 in the seventh, Heaton dug in with Blake Barton and Mason Landers on base and crushed a bomb to left field, giving Belmont new life with a two-run deficit. 

However, Missouri State wrestled back control of the game with two more homers in the bottom of the seventh. 

Up Next 

Belmont will face Missouri State in the second game of the series back at Hammons Field on Friday. 

First pitch has been moved up 15 minutes to 10:45 a.m. 

The game will not be streamed, but live audio play-by-play will be broadcast on Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeartRadio and live stats will be carried on BelmontBruins.com. 

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.                 

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