Baseball Prepares For Evansville This Weekend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont baseball returns to conference play this weekend as they prepare for a pivotal three-game series, looking to build momentum down the stretch of the season.

Belmont enters the weekend coming off a competitive midweek matchup against Middle Tennessee, where the Bruins ultimately fell short despite flashes of strong play on both sides of the ball. The loss to MTSU highlighted both the resilience and areas for growth within the Bruins' lineup, as they battled throughout but were unable to capitalize in key late-game moments.

The team now shifts its focus to the weekend, aiming to translate lessons learned into execution. Offensively, Belmont has shown the ability to generate consistent contact and apply pressure on opposing defenses, but timely hitting will be a point of emphasis after leaving opportunities on the table in the midweek contest. Expect the Bruins to look for early aggression at the plate to set the tone.

On the mound, Belmont's pitching staff will be central to the series outcome. The Bruins have relied on a mix of experienced starters and emerging bullpen arms, and limiting free passes while controlling the tempo will be key after facing a disciplined MTSU lineup earlier in the week. Establishing command early in counts could make the difference in tight situations. The starting rotations for Belmont this weekend will be Friday, Sam Heyman, Saturday, Ridge Harvey and Sunday's starter is TBA as the pitching staff continue to battle back from injuries.

With the regular season moving past its midpoint, every conference series carries added weight.

About the Purple Aces

• Evansville is currently 13-21 on the season and 6-3 in MVC play.
• They have won all of their MVC Series' 2-1 against Illinois State, Bradley and Southern Illinois. 
• Offensively, the Purple Aces are led by Shortstop Drew McConnel who is batting .300 and slugging .433. Behind him is, Outfielder Charlie Longmeier who is batting .275 and slugging .377 on the season. 
• Starting this weekend on the mound for Evansville is, Max Hansmann on Friday, Tanner Graham on Saturday, and Sunday's starter is TBA. 

Series History

• Belmont currently holds a 22-6 advantage over Evansville.
• Their last meeting Belmont swept Evansville last season. The last time Evansville beat Belmont was in 2024 where they won the series 2-1. 
• Belmont looks to continue that series' success. 

Up Next

Baseball will be back on the road and will play against UT-Martin on Tuesday, April 21. First pitch is set for 5:00 PM at Skyhawks Baseball Field in Martin, Tenn. 
 

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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