Bruins beat Billikens 5-4

The Belmont Baseball team overcame both the elements and an early deficit en route to a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Billikens on a cold, wet Sunday afternoon at Rose Park.

Sophomore infielder Greg Brody started the scoring for the Bruins with an RBI single in the first inning to give Belmont an early lead.

Behind a strong outing from sophomore pitcher James Buckelew, the Bruins then held the Billikens to only two runs through the first five innings.

Those two runs were initially enough to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. The Bruins responded with a four-run, go-ahead inning which began with freshman catcher Jamie Ritchie got his first career hit and RBI.

Junior Drew Turner then brought in two more runs to expand the Belmont lead to three runs. Belmont capped off the fifth inning with an RBI double by senior outfielder Phillip Parsley, giving them a 5-2 lead.

St. Louis added a run in each the sixth and eighth innings before senior Garrett Fanchier came in and closed the door in the ninth inning, picking up his first career save.

The Bruins return to action this Thursday at Rose Park versus the Oregon Ducks, a Pac-12 member. Game time is 4 p.m.

And, by the way, about that mascot: A billiken was originally a doll created in 1909, and it looks like a cross between a troll and a buddha. Legend promises that it’s a good-luck charm that will give the one who posseses it “things as they ought to be.”

– Matt Matoh

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