Game-1 Box Score I Game-2 Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. – Visiting Belmont finished off a weekend sweep of the Eastern Kentucky University baseball team on Saturday, winning both ends of a doubleheader at Turkey Hughes Field. The Bruins edged the Colonels, 1-0, in game one before defeating them decisively in the series finale, 13-6.

With the losses, EKU drops to 5-14 (2-7 OVC) on the year. Belmont, meanwhile, returns to Nashville with a record of 17-6 (5-1 OVC).

Sophomore right-hander Ben Gullo (0-2) made his first start of the season in game one and delivered an impressive outing, going 6.1 innings while scattering four hits and allowing just one run. He also struck out six batters.

The one run Gullo surrendered, however, proved to be the game-winner, as Dom Veltri plated Matt Beaty on an RBI groundout in the top of the fourth to provide the Bruins with the all the offense they would need.

EKU threatened in the bottom of the ninth, as freshman Doug Teegarden walked to lead off the frame and then went to third on a single by junior Shaun Ball, putting Colonels on the corners with no outs. The next batter, junior Bryan Soloman, went down on strikes, however, and senior Austin Grisham followed that up by lining out to third base. Senior Matt Phipps then ended the rally and the game with a groundout to shortstop.

Junior right-hander Matt Lynch was also impressive in relief of Gullo, hurling 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit.

Belmont right-hander Austin Coley (4-0) got the win in the pitcher’s duel, tossing 7.0 shutout innings while surrendering six hits and striking out 10 batters. Josh Davis, meanwhile, picked up his fifth save of the season for the Bruins, as he held EKU scoreless over the final two frames.

Ball collected a team-best three hits in the game for EKU.

In game two, Belmont scored two runs in the top of the second before exploding for 10 runs in the top of the fourth to make the score 12-0.

EKU, however, did not surrender, as the Colonels attempted to piece together a rally in the bottom half of the fourth. Sophomore John Wilson started the inning with a base hit and went to second on a single by freshman Kyle Nowlin. After freshman Luke Wurzelbacher was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Phipps delivered a big single through the left side of the infield that scored two. Sophomore Demetrius Moorer then legged out an infield to single to advance all runners and, again, load the bases for Teegarden, who grounded out to second base, scoring Wurzelbacher. Soloman rounded out the scoring in the inning by driving a two-run single up the middle that scored Phipps and Moorer and made the score 12-5.

Belmont pitching, though, would hold EKU to just one run over the next five innings, as the Bruins held on for the victory in the finale.

Senior left-hander Shane Grimm (2-2) picked up the loss for EKU, going three innings and allowing five earned runs on six hits. Freshman right-hander Eric Nerl and junior right-hander Myles Scott combined to hold Belmont to just one run over the final six innings of play.

Left-hander Dan Ludwig (5-1) earned the win for Belmont, pitching 4.1 innings and surrendering only one run on one hit.

Phipps finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored, while Soloman went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

EKU returns to action with a midweek game against West Virginia at Turkey Hughes Field on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m.