Starting pitcher Bobby Nowak (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central [Kankakee]) did not allow a base hit in his 5 1/3 innings, but he took a tough-luck loss in Sunday’s 5-1 Valparaiso University baseball setback to Belmont in Nashville, Tenn. Valpo held a 1-0 lead in the sixth, but the Bruins rallied to take the rubber match. Based on Sunday’s results around the league, Valpo can lock up a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament berth with one win in next weekend’s three-game series with Illinois State.

How It Happened

• Valpo started the scoring in the opening inning when a Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) ground ball plated Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran), who had led off the game with a single.
• Belmont packed the sacks in the fourth as Nowak walked three straight with two outs, but the right-handed hurler got a big punchout to retire the side, his fourth straight hitless frame.
• Nowak did not allow a hit prior to exiting the game with one out in the sixth. Valpo was clinging to a 1-0 lead as Josh Cottrill (Pewaukee, Wis. / Pewaukee) entered the game, but Belmont had two on after a walk and a hit batter. Cottrill walked the first batter he faced, then Belmont’s first hit of the game gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead.
• Belmont scored once more in the sixth and added runs on solo shots in both the seventh and eighth to extend the advantage to 5-1, which stood as the game’s final score.

Inside the Game

• Nowak struck out five but issued six walks while allowing two runs on no hits in 5 1/3 innings.
• Ryan and Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central) paced the team with two hits apiece.
• Valpo owned a 7-3 edge in the hit column.

Up Next

Valpo (19-23, 9-14 MVC) will close out the regular season with a three-game series against Illinois State that begins on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Emory G. Bauer Field. All three games will be streamed on The Valley on ESPN with links to live video and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.