Thursday, March 04, 2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Belmont baseball used four runs on five hits in the sixth inning to pull away from No. 23 Western Kentucky on Wednesday afternoon at Shelby Park to improve to 8-0.

It is the first win over a ranked opponent since Belmont defeated No. 23 Stetson 18-5 in the Atlantic Sun Tournament semifinals in 2007. Belmont's 8-0 start is the second longest winning streak to begin the season in the program's 56-year history. Only in 1981, 1994 and 2004 have the Bruins started better at 9-0.

"We are proud of the fact that we played a quality opponent in a well-played baseball game and came out on top but there are a lot of games left to be played," head coach Davis Jarvis said. "WKU is a very good team and a very good program. They play in a very good baseball league and have had a lot of success in that league."

WKU (6-2), ranked No. 23 by Collegiate Baseball, played their way into the program's first NCAA Tournament at-large bid last season after winning the 2009 SunBelt regular season title.

For the sixth time this season Belmont's opponent scored first as the Hilltoppers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off of an RBI single from Matt Rice through the left side.

In what turned into a pitching chess match with a total of 10 pitchers from both teams, WKU held its one run lead until Belmont tied the game in the fifth inning after a lead-off triple from junior designated hitter Vinny Casha. In the next at bat Matt Zeblo drove in Casha with a single to left field.

In the sixth inning a 1-1 tie turned into a four-run Belmont lead as three straight singles through the left-infield gap fired up the Bruins' offensive to quickly take a 2-1 lead with no outs. Freshman Jared Breen set the pace with a lead-off single for his first hit of the season.

"I was really excited to see Jared get his first hit today," Jarvis said. "We have got a pretty balanced lineup with production from a number of spots. He is a very capable offensive player and he can be a real asset if we can get his bat going like it was in the Fall."