Belmont baseball was ultimately challenged by the No. 2-ranked Vanderbilt Commodores in a one-game hometown matchup at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field on Tuesday.
While the Bruins competed with Vanderbilt relatively well by only allowing four runs to be scored, the Belmont offense only scored once. The result was a 4-1 loss.
Starting on the mound for Belmont was freshman pitcher Jalen Borders, who pitched the first two innings of the game, and was successful in picking off a Vanderbilt runner by forcing him into a rundown between first and second base early in the bottom of the first inning.
Later in the same inning, Vanderbilt jumped to an early 1-0 lead due to a bases-loaded walk. Vanderbilt later extended its lead in the second inning, pulling the score to 2-0.
Junior pitcher Chandler Schultz came in to relieve Borders in the third inning — he recorded a career-high four strikeouts while not allowing a run in his time on the mound.
After three scoreless innings for both sides, Belmont came alive offensively in the fifth.
Freshman outfielder Guy Lipscomb walked to lead off the inning. He then successfully stole second base to put the Bruins into scoring position.
Following Lipscomb’s at-bat, freshman Mason Landers hit a flyout and advanced Lipscomb to third.
Lipscomb scored Belmont’s only run, cutting Vanderbilt’s lead in half 2-1, due to an RBI single hit by junior catcher Jackson Campbell.
After an exceptional pitching performance by graduate student Connor Anderson in the bottom of the fifth, junior pitcher Logan Bowen came in to replace Anderson in the sixth inning.
Bowen entered the game in a stressful bases-loaded situation but pitched his way out of the inning with only one run scored with the assistance of Landers and sophomore shortstop Jack Capobianco, who both were involved in successfully completing an impressive double play.
The final run was scored in the eighth inning when Vanderbilt’s Jayson Gonzalez hit a home run to extend its lead, 4-1.
The Bruins were unable to comeback against their rival neighbors, however, Belmont impressively held up and competed against one of the best teams in college baseball.
After Tuesday’s game against Vanderbilt, Belmont now stands with a 4-8 record.
The Bruins will now have the opportunity to focus on its conference teams as the next 11 games of the season will be Ohio Valley Conference matchups, Belmont has only played three OVC contests thus far.
Belmont will be back at home for a three-game-series against SIU Edwardsville with the first game on Friday at 4 p.m.
—
This article written by A.J. Wuest. Photos by Hanley Riggs.