Mercer University
Belmont
Baseball Falls to Belmont in Conference Opener, 2-1
3/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Despite a solid pitching performance by sophomore Matt McCall, the Mercer baseball team dropped its Atlantic Sun Conference opener to Belmont, 2-1, on Friday evening at Shelby Park.
The Bears out-hit the Bruins eight-to-five, but were just 1-for-18 with runners on base in the contest.
"I thought McCall had an unbelievable road performance for us tonight through six innings and our bullpen stepped in and pitched well at the end," head coach Craig Gibson said. "We had our opportunities tonight, but just couldn't put anything together offensively or get that big hit and it hurt us."
After McCall and Belmont hurler Chase Brookshire matched zeros over the first two innings of play, the Bruins lit up the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third inning.
After senior Derek Hamblen reached on an error, junior Dylan Craig tripled down the right field line to bring Hamblen around to make the score 1-0 Belmont.
Mercer responded in the top of the fourth, however, putting together back-to-back hits by senior Thomas Carroll and junior Matthew Black to tie the game at 1-1.
That is the way things stayed until the bottom of the seventh when the home team retook the lead. Sophomore Jared Breen doubled with two outs and junior Zac Mitchell pulled an RBI single to right field to put the home team in front, 2-1.
Senior Jon Ivie worked out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth to earn the save, his fourth of the season.
McCall pitched masterfully in his outing, going six innings and allowing just one unearned run on three hits to go along with five strikeouts.
Brookshire went 7.1 innings and gave up just one earned run on six hits while striking out eight to earn the win.
Mercer is back in action on Saturday afternoon when it continues its three-game series with Belmont. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. (ET).
