Knights hand Bellmont first loss of season

Decatur Democrat

Daily

Bellmont fell behind early and was never able to make up ground at Norwell Thursday night, falling 10-3 to suffer the Braves’ first loss of the season.

Starting pitcher Eli Laurent was hit by a pitch in the top of the first and subsequently allowed three singles in the bottom of the inning before coming out of the game. The bad luck for Bellmont doomed their chances, as Jack Scheumann was put in the impossible spot of entering the game as a relief pitcher in the first inning with the bases loaded and no outs.

Scheumann allowed all three inherited runners to score but did not allow a run of his own and the home team had the early lead.

The new Braves pitcher helped his own cause by driving in a run in the next half-inning and Bellmont scored another run when Austin Christner stole home on a double steal with Scheumann.

The Knights hit Scheumann hard in the second for four runs, but he settled down after that and allowed just one run in the third and the fourth.

Kobe Baker drove in Isaiah Wellman with a single in the fifth to cut the Norwell lead to five, but Scheumann could not make it out of the bottom of the inning after Norwell got two two-out hits to go up 10-3.

Keagan Martin entered the game and got a strikeout for the final out of the inning and he also worked a perfect sixth inning.

The Braves ended the game with just five hits against Norwell starter Lleyton Bailey, who went the whole way, striking out three. Bellmont will play a home doubleheader today against the Wayne Generals.

Bellmont head coach Tom Montgomery (right) was forced to alter his game plan early after his starter, Eli Laurent (center), was forced to leave the game due to injury. Shown being examined by the Norwell trainer, Laurent, the team’s leading hitter with a .429 average, was hit by a pitch in the top of the inning and only faced three batters before calling for the trainers.