Saturday, April 25, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Belmont baseball team (25-18, 14-9 Atlantic Sun) split its doubleheader against Kennesaw State (22-16, 14-5 A-Sun) at Shelby Park in Nashville, Tenn. on Friday.

The Bruins won a thrilling contest against the Owls, 10-9, in 12 innings before dropping the second game, 26-2.

Senior Derek Wiley hit his 54th career home run, a solo shot to left field, in the bottom of the fifth inning of the first contest to break the Atlantic Sun all-time record, surpassing Frank Coor of Stetson, who hit 53 home runs for the Hatters from 1998-2001.

Junior Mark Noth's (Burr Ridge, Ill.) solo home run to left center in the bottom of the 12th inning served as the game-winning hit as the Bruins defeated the Owls, 10-9, in 12 innings.

Senior Jimmy Stanley (Lexington, Ky.) earned the win for Belmont after going 4.1 innings and giving up four runs on four hits with five strikeouts. His record for the season is now 4-3.

Kevin Faulk (6-3) was charged with the loss for the Owls for giving up three runs on three hits over three-full innings.

Kennesaw State scored the first run of the contest in the top of the first inning on a double down the left field line by Jace Whitmer, scoring Jacob Robbins, giving the Owls the early 1-0 lead.

Belmont responded with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the 2-1 lead. The first run came on a single to right field by senior Brandon McCall (Spring Hill, Tenn.), scoring freshman Dylan Craig (Signal Mountain, Tenn.). The other run was driven in on a double to right center by junior Daniel Wagner (China Grove, N.C.), plating McCall.

The Owls retook the lead on a two-run home run left field by Tyler Stubblefield to take the 3-2 lead in the top of the third inning.

The Bruins tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning on a single down the right field line by McCall to score senior Derek Wiley (Dublin, Calif.). A single to center field by sophomore Matt Zeblo (Raleigh, N.C.) scored Wagner and made the score 4-3 in favor of Belmont.

Kennesaw State tied the score at 4-4 in the top of the fifth inning on a single to the pitcher by Robbins to score Curtis Van Wyck.

Belmont retook the lead on Wiley's home run in the bottom of the fifth to left field, giving the Bruins the 5-4 lead. It was his 13th of the season and he finished the contest with three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.