BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Belmont baseball rallied multiple times but came up just short Tuesday night, falling 9-8 to Western Kentucky University at Nick Denes Field after a late eighth-inning surge by the home team.
The Bruins built leads in the middle innings and carried an 8-5 advantage into the bottom of the eighth before Western Kentucky answered with four runs to reclaim control. Belmont finished with 11 hits, led by a four-hit performance from Brady Holbrook, who went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Holbrook delivered key offense throughout the night, including RBI knocks during Belmont's late push.
Belmont opened the scoring in the second inning when Mike Sprockett brought home a run and JD Whitworth added an RBI single to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead. After Western Kentucky trimmed the margin in the third, Belmont added single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. Charlie Davis doubled and later scored, while Jake Maddox drove in another run to keep pressure on the Hilltoppers.
The Bruins appeared to seize momentum in the seventh and eighth innings. Whitworth delivered another RBI hit in the seventh, and Holbrook followed with run-producing contact as Belmont extended its lead. Isaac VanderWoude also reached three times and scored twice, helping set the table offensively.
On the mound, Andrew Perry gave Belmont a steady start, allowing one run over 2.2 innings while striking out one. Cole Kenyon and Zane Brown combined for 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to keep Belmont in front through five innings.
Western Kentucky broke through in the sixth with four runs, but Belmont answered immediately with two in the seventh and two more in the eighth to move ahead 8-5. In the bottom half of the eighth, the turning point of the game prevailed. The Hilltoppers capitalized on timely hits and free passes, scoring four runs to take a 9-8 lead they would not surrender.
Belmont threatened in the ninth, but Western Kentucky closed the door to secure the midweek win.
Whitworth finished with two hits and two RBIs, while Sprockett, Maddox, and Davis each added RBIs. Belmont did not commit an error defensively and turned two double plays despite the narrow loss.
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