NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont starting pitcher Shane Haas tossed 6.1 shutout innings allowing just four hits to lead Belmont to a 1-0 win over UCF in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday. Haas improved to 6-2 on the season as he struck out four batters for the win.
With the loss, UCF dropped its fourth straight game to fall to 22-15 overall and 7-7 in the A-Sun. Belmont, now second in the conference, raised its record to 17-12, 13-7 in conference play.
The loss spoiled another outstanding effort by Mark Michael. The senior was magnificent for the Golden Knights as he retired the first 11 batters of the game on just 27 pitches. Michael threw his fourth straight complete game of the season, allowing just one run on three hits with four strikeouts.
After two quick outs in the Belmont fourth, Michael (6-2) yielded back-to-back doubles by Jason Warpool and Dan Soukup to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.
The run scored off Michael was the first run allowed by the senior in 11.2 consecutive innings, dating back to the sixth inning vs. Jacksonville State on March 29.
UCF had a golden opportunity to score in the sixth after Dee Brown and Ryan Bear registered back-to-back singles with two outs, but Ryan Bono struck out swinging to end the threat.
In the top of the seventh, Dave Lambert delivered his second double of the game with a ground rule double in the right-centerfield gap with just one out in the inning. UCF sent two pinch hitters to the plate next as Blaine Schulte grounded out to second, forcing pinch runner Von David Stertzbach to third, while P.J. Lehmann walked. With runners on the corners, leadoff hitter David Mann grounded out back to Belmont reliever Will Tucker to end the game. The save was Tucker’s eighth of the season for the Bruins.
Lambert was 2-for-2 with a walk while Brown extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 1-for-3 performance.
Belmont Hands UCF Baseball 1-0 Shutout Loss
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