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LeTourneau University Athletics

LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
Phakhaphum Padmanuja
4
LeTourneau LETU 0-1
5
Winner Belhaven University BU 1-0
LeTourneau LETU
0-1
4
Final
5
Belhaven University BU
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
LeTourneau LETU 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 4 9 2
Belhaven University BU 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 9 3

W: D. Hall (1-0) L: Harlan, Andrew (0-1) S: J. Phillips (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Contact: Matt Kinney, Sports Information Director, mattkinney@letu.edu

LeTourneau Baseball Falls 5-4 In Season Opener At Belhaven

JACKSON, Miss. – Stranding 11 runners on base, the LeTourneau University baseball team would be unable to complete a comeback in a 5-4 road defeat to Belhaven University at Smith Wills Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi on Friday, February 8th.
 
LETU falls to 0-1 overall while the Blazers pick up a win to move to 1-0 on the season as the game does not affect American Southwest Conference standings and was considered a non-conference game.
 
How It Happened:
  • Chances throughout would find their way to the YellowJackets as LeTourneau would find themselves with runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first before a strikeout and ground out would end the opportunity to take an early lead.
  • Belhaven managed to take advantage of back-to-back singles to open their half of the first and would eventually score a run on a passed ball before seeing two quick outs nearly limit the damage to just a single run. It would be a two-out RBI double however that would bring home a second run to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
  • A two-out second-inning rally would get LeTourneau on the board as Eli Birriel would turn a hit-by-pitch and stolen base into the first run of the year for the YellowJackets on a Will Bradshaw RBI single that would move Lee Hosie to third after the senior would draw a walk prior to Bradshaw's at-bat.
  • A passed ball would then return the favor to LETU to tie the game at 2-2 after Hosie would find his way across home plate.
  • It wouldn't take long for Belhaven to reclaim the lead as a leadoff runner would reach on an error and would move around to third on a groundout and single to put runners on the corners with one out.
  • Following a stolen base to put two runners in scoring position, a two-RBI double would put the Blazers back up 4-2 as BU would look to add to their lead.
  • A passed- ball and fielder's choice would allow the Belhaven base-runner to score and give the Blazers a 5-2 lead as a groundout would manage to end the inning and bring LeTourneau back up to bat with work to do to try and get back into the game.
  • Both teams would then settle in on defense as both the YellowJackets and Blazers would strand a pair of runners in the third with each team going hitless in the fourth to keep things at 5-2 in favor of Belhaven.
  • The top of the fifth would see LETU put runners on second and third with one out as Noah Mahoney would reach on a muffed throw at first before moving to third on a Jacob Jones double as the YellowJackets looked to cut into the three-run deficit.
  • A fielder's choice by Belhaven would cut down a run at the plate to put runners at the corners for LETU with a chance to still cut into the lead but a groundout would end the threat as a much-needed timely hit could not be found.
  • LeTourneau would keep moving things along in the bottom of the fifth by working around a leadoff bunt for a base hit but would be unable to get anything going in the top of the sixth as a leadoff infield single by Bryce Brueggemeyer would wind up stranded at third.
  • Belhaven would go down in order in the bottom half of the sixth to send things to the seventh where LeTourneau would use a pair of walks to start the inning to once again put pressure on the Blazers.
  • After a strikeout, Matt Lowery would send a ball deep to left field that would wind up being misplayed by the left fielder that would allow Mahoney and Cody Lee to move into scoring position before advancing one more base each on a throwing error by the Blazer third-baseman trying to throw behind Lowery at first.
  • Brandon Ramirez would then collect an RBI infield single to bring home Mahoney and cut the lead down to 5-4 in favor of Belhaven, but an inning-ending double play would end the rally and leave LETU down one heading into the seventh-inning stretch.
  • LeTourneau would be forced to work around a leadoff walk by seeing reliever Kolton Eberlan strike out two of the next three batters to end the inning.
  • Facing Belhaven's third pitcher of the day, LETU would muster just an infield single from Bradshaw in the eighth as Belhaven would get a groundout to end the inning before going down in order in their half of the eighth to maintain their 5-4 lead heading to the ninth.
  • Down to their last three outs, a comeback would not be in store for LeTourneau as a pair of groundouts and a pop out would end the game without the YellowJackets putting the game-tying run on-base.
 
Key Stats:
  • Settling in after the first two innings of play, starting pitcher Andrew Harlan would take the loss after throwing six innings of work and striking out two and did not allow a single run after the second inning of play.
  • Eberlan would wind up throwing the final two innings in relief and strike out two of the seven batters he faced while issuing one walk.
  • Offensively, Jones would collect LETU's only extra-base hit of the afternoon with a double while Bradshaw and Ramirez both recorded three hits.
 
What's Next?
Game two of opening weekend for LeTourneau will take place at Twenty Field as the YellowJackets will play Millsaps College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 9th.
 
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