Bruins claw past Sycamore
Belmont emerged victorious over Indiana State's baseball team 5-2 in a pitchers' duel in a big Missouri Valley Conference tilt Saturday . Since Indiana State dropped the final two games of the series, the Sycamores will be the No. 2 seed at the MVC tournament.
The No. 1 seed will be Illinois-Chicago since the Flames won their first two games against Bradley. "The last two games offensively we weren't very strong," ISU coach Tracy Archuleta said.
"The bats didn't come around. I thought the pitching for the most part was pretty good except for one guy in there, but they kept us in the game for a long time. " Belmont struck first in the top of the third inning to make it 1-0, and Belmont pitchers Ridge Harvey and Brooks McDonnough spun a gem until the bottom of the seventh.
Caleb Niehaus reached first on an error in the bottom of the seventh and advanced to second on a balk. Mason Roell then drove home Niehaus on a double to the left-field wall. Carter Beck walked and he and Roell stole bases to put runners on second and third, but Emil Estrella struck out swinging to leave the score tied.
Belmont countered that when Charlie Davis doubled reached first on a hit by pitch after Brody Langlotz was hit by a pitch to open the eighth. After two strikeouts and an intentional walk, Mike Sprockett walked and the Bruins were back up 2-1. ISU had runners on in the bottom half of the eighth but couldn't push anybody across.