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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois junior pitcher Ben Kennedy walked Matt Beaty with the bases loaded in the 10^th inning, giving the Belmont Bruins the series finale, 4-3. Belmont took the weekend conference series, 2-1.
 
EIU dropped to 16-24 overall and 6-14 in Ohio Valley Conference play while Belmont improved to 30-12 overall and 16-5 in conference play.
 
"Today we had our toughest loss of the year," said Eastern Illinois head coach Jim Schmitz. "We had a chance to win the series against the top team in the OVC. We had our chances to put Belmont away early and did not do it."

For the third consecutive game, the Panthers scored in the first inning against the Bruins. Treysen Vavra hit a two-out homer to center field to make the score 1-0. Belmont responded in the bottom of the frame to knot the contest at one when Jared Breen hit a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
EIU took a two-run lead (3-1) in the top of the fourth inning on RBI singles by Demetre Taylor and Nick Priessman. Belmont's Dom Veltri and Drew Ferguson tied the game at three in the eighth inning as both players hit solo home runs.
 
Both teams had six hits in the contest with Belmont committing one more error (1-0) and leaving three more runners on base (8-5).
 
Vavra went 3-for-3 with two runs, a home run and a RBI to pace the Panthers at the plate. Taylor and Priessman both went 1-for-4 with a RBI.
 
Garrison Stenger (3-1) took the loss for EIU, striking out three and allowing two hits and one run in 1.2 innings of relief. Matt Borens made the start as the sophomore pitcher posted five strikeouts while allowing four hits and three runs in 7.2 innings of action.
 
Jessie Snodgrass (5-2) took the win for Belmont, striking out two with two walks while only allowing one hit in three innings of scoreless relief. Ferguson led the offense as he finished the day going 2-for-4 with three runs and a RBI.
 
EIU returns to action on May 3-5 when they play host to Eastern Kentucky in a three-game OVC series. Game one is slated for 3 p.m. on Friday, May 3.