Bisons’ offense surge past Bruins in high-scoring fall ball opener

Lipscomb baseball’s offense got off to a scorching hot start to the fall ball season, defeating Belmont University 13-8 at E.S. Rose Park in an October “Battle of the Boulevard”exhibition. With 14 hits, everyone in the lineup got in on the fun with a well-rounded team performance. 

Lipscomb’s discipline was put on display early, drawing three full counts and two walks to begin the game, but the Bisons were unable to cash in with runners on second and third in the top of the first inning. Belmont notched the first hit of the game with a single up the middle from senior infielder Buck Snabes. Senior infielder Cavan McMeans then opened up the scoring, crushing a home run to deep left field to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning from both sides, junior first baseman Blake Carter ripped a ball down the right field line after a walk, giving the Bisons their first hit and run of the afternoon making it 2-1. Redshirt senior outfielder/first baseman Danny Ramirez hit an almost identical double down the right field line to bring home Carter and tie the game at 2.

Senior infielder Cade Fuller sees a second breaking ball of the at bat and launches it over the left center field fence to give the Bisons a 4-2 lead in the top of the third.

“I mean, I was just kind of sitting off speed,” Fuller said after the game. “I missed one earlier and then hung me one after that one and yeah just crushed it so it felt good.”

Freshman utility player Cole Photopulos answered right back for Belmont with a solo home run of his own to right center field making it 4-3. After a walk and stolen base McMeans did it again and sends a ball rocketing down the left field line for a two-run homer to recapture a 5-4 lead for the Bruins. 

After an uneventful fourth inning to start the top of the fifth, senior outfielder Jordan Thomas hit a bomb of a home run over the right field wall to tie the game at 5. Belmont fails to answer after hitting into an inning ending 6-4-3 double play in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

To start off the top of the sixth senior outfielder Cade Hitson and junior first baseman Alejandro Abreut hit back-to-back singles for Lipscomb. Freshman catcher David Chirinos smacks a ground-rule double, scoring Huston and putting Abreut on third. After a ground out to third scores the runner from third base the Bisons put on their gloves with an 8-5 lead over Belmont.

In the bottom of the sixth, sophomore outfielder J.D. Whitworth crushed a ball down the left-field foul line that just managed to squeeze inside the foul pole for a solo home run, fighting back to make it 8-6. Lipscomb went down in order in the top of the seventh, while sophomore outfielder Kyle Coleman led off the bottom half with a single for the Bruins.

Bisons senior pitcher Javarra Martin Jr. froze Coleman with an excellent pick off move for the first out of the inning. Sophomore outfielder Mason Gazaway smokes a double into right field, and the Bruins got lucky after the Bison’s right fielder lost the ball in the sun. Lipscomb still led 8-7 after the seventh inning. 

Redshirt junior catcher Simon Scharff pulled a ball over the left-field fence for a home run in the top of the eighth to extend the Bisons’ lead to 9-7. Neither team scored for the remainder of the regulation nine innings. Under normal circumstances, the Bisons would have walked away with a 9-7 victory.

Because it was a fall exhibition game, college teams treat this stretch similarly to how MLB utilizes spring training. Consequently, the two teams played a tenth inning for extra practice. Lipscomb manufactured three more runs off of three hits and two walks. Belmont scored one final run after a single and a misplay in the Bisons’ outfield, bringing the final score after 10 innings to 13-8.

Fuller after the game on what he is looking forward to most during the upcoming fall ball season, “I think just coming together as a team is what I’m looking forward to the most.” He said. “I feel like we have a really good brotherhood here.” 

Lipscomb will travel to Knoxville to play the University of Tennessee on Oct. 16 as they continue their fall ball schedule.

Featured Image taken by Evelyn Bern