Baseball Secures Series Win on Senior Day With 5-1 Victory Over Valparaiso

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Dominant pitching and timely hitting powered the Belmont University baseball team to a series-clinching 5-1 win over Valparaiso on Senior Day at E.S. Rose Park on Sunday afternoon. 

Belmont (23-29, 8-16 MVC) did not gather a hit through the first five-plus innings but Andy Bean, Simon Tesh (W, 1-1) and Ethan Harden (SV, 6) shutout Valparaiso (19-23, 9-15 MVC) over the final eight frames to give the Bruins a chance. 

The win secures a 16-15 home record this season for Belmont, marking the 15th time in the last 17 years that the Bruins have finished with a winning record at home. 

Making his final home start at E.S. Rose Park and returning to the mound for the first time since suffering an injury at Missouri State on April 20, Bean provided a masterful four innings to set the tone for the day on his Senior Day. 

The left-hander tossed 59 pitches and allowed just three hits and one run with three strikeouts and one walk. 

His third strikeout marked the 218th of his career, moving him into eighth place on the program leaderboard for career strikeouts. 

??? Hear from @andybean34 after an emotional series-clinching Senior Day win over Valparaiso on Sunday ??#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/EAmoDhrIzh
— Belmont Baseball (@BelmontBaseball) May 14, 2023
 

With Belmont still yet to record a hit, the Bruins turned things over to the bullpen, with Tesh tossing two scoreless frames out of the pen on just 23 pitches, scattering two hits with one strikeout. 

The Belmont offense, which drew eight walks over the first five innings before finally getting their first hit, got one at the perfect time to grab the lead for good. 

Trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning, Brodey Heaton drew a one-out walk before Sam Slaughter was hit by a pitch and Max Blessinger forced another walk to load the bases. 

In a two-strike count, Blake Barton delivered a line drive base-hit to right-center field, scoring two and breaking up the no-hitter in the sixth inning. 

A Jack Rando RBI groundout added to the Belmont lead just one batter later, giving the Bruins a 3-1 advantage heading to the seventh inning. 

Ethan Harden came out of the bullpen and recorded his sixth save of the season behind three shutout innings. The redshirt freshman finished with two strikeouts and no walks while allowing just two hits. 

Belmont tacked on insurance as Mason Landers blasted his 12th home run of the season in the seventh inning to extend the third baseman's on-base streak to 28 games. 

ALL THE WAY TO THE BATMAN BUILDING@butter_landers1 | #ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/1jN2iqxDDK
— Belmont Baseball (@BelmontBaseball) May 14, 2023
 

In the eighth, Sam Slaughter put the game away for good with a solo blast to right field, his second home run in as many days and the seventh of the season for the right fielder. 

When the dust cleared, Belmont had recorded five runs on just three hits one day after smashing 18 hits in a 13-3 run-rule win. 

The victory, combined with Sunday losses from Illinois State and Bradley, puts the Bruins in command of their own destiny for an MVC Tournament berth ahead of next weekend's series at Bradley. 

Up Next 

Belmont will take on nationally-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville. 

The Volunteers entered the week ranked No. 23 in the country but will surely rise after defeating No. 17 Kentucky in a series at home this weekend. 

First pitch on Tuesday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT. 

The game will be streamed on SEC Network+, with live audio play-by-play broadcast on Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeartRadio and live stats 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.            

#ItsBruinTime