By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Two late rallies by the Tennessee Tech baseball team just weren't enough Monday afternoon, as Belmont (23-23, 14-13) edged the Golden Eagles (34-15, 20-4) in 11 innings by a final score of 9-8.
Trailing by as much as five runs in the fifth inning, the Golden Eagles started their comeback, plating two in the bottom of the frame. Junior designated hitter Ryan Flick provided the damage for Tech in the fifth, ripping a two-run single up the middle to cut the Belmont lead to 7-4.
The Bruins held Tech off the scoreboard over the next two frames, making things look bleak for the Golden Eagles until the eighth. Then the offense took over. Junior first baseman Chase Chambers walked on four pitches with one out and senior catcher Chris Brown followed with a single through the right side.
Another single, this time from senior second baseman Matt Jones, plated the team's first run of the frame. Belmont recorded the second out of the frame, putting the visitors one out away from getting out of the jam. Junior left fielder Collin Harris had other plans.
The slugger worked a 2-2 count before firing a single up the middle that drove in two more runs and tied the game at 7-7 with just an inning to play.
Both sides traded zeroes in the ninth, setting up extra innings between the two teams. Belmont took the lead, using an RBI double to drive in the go-ahead run after an error allowed the leadoff man to reach.
In the bottom of the 10th, it was Harris who kept Tech alive yet again, beating out a ball to third base for an infield single with two outs. Next up, sophomore center fielder Alex Junior was just one strike away from the end of the game, fighting off a foul ball to keep hope alive.
Junior then did one even better, drilling a single through the right side. Sprinting for his life from the second the ball left the bat, Harris used his extraordinary speed to slide in just safe at home to tie the game one more time.
The Bruins took the lead back one more time in the 11th, blasting a leadoff home run for the eventual 9-8 victory. Belmont held on for the win, putting the Golden Eagles' quest for the Ohio Valley Conference regular season championship on hold for at least one more game.
Flick led the way on offense for Tech, finishing 4-for-6 with four RBI.
Tech remains just one win or one loss by Morehead State away from clinching its first league title since 2013. The Golden Eagles will head to Murfreesboro Tuesday evening, making a visit to Middle Tennessee for an in-state battle at 6 p.m. CT.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
