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Matt Barnett is entering his eighth season with the Belmont baseball program. Barnett serves as the team's pitching coach, recruiting coordinator and camp director.
In 2008, pitcher/outfielder Carlo Testa was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference First Team at both positions and was selected in the 18th round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals. In 2007, pitcher Charles Lee was named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference first team under Barnett. In 2005, Barnett saw Blake Owen set a school record with 13 saves while posting an ERA of 0.81. Owen was drafted in the sixth round of the Major League Draft, and joins teammates Justin Jordan and Cody Blackard as professional players. Five pitchers posted winning records in 2005, and Bruin pitchers struck out 307 batters while walking just 129. The Bruin pitching staff was one of the best in the conference in 2004 and it started with the style that Barnett brought to Belmont. The Bruins were at the top of the league in hits allowed, runs allowed and ERA. Also under Barnett's direction, Will Tucker broke the single season mark for saves with 12, Shane Haas tied the school record for wins with nine, and a handful of pitchers earning Atlantic Sun Pitchers of the Week honors. Barnett emphasizes the ability to keep pitch count down by eliminating the batter in three pitches or less. Prior to joining the Belmont staff, he was the pitching coach at Tennessee Tech University, the 2001 Ohio Valley Conference champion. That season, Barnett helped to orchestrate the Golden Eagles upset of top-seed Wake Forest in regional play. Barnett first started his collegiate coaching career as a pitching coach at Morehead State. He also served as an assistant coach on the 2000 Coastal Plain League Champions in Petersburg, Va., a summer wooden bat league for college players. Barnett has staffed camps across the southeast including the University of Tennessee's summer camp while assisting with Belmont's Fall Instructional League for area high school players. As a player, he pitched for both Northeast Mississippi Junior College and Shelby State Community College. Barnett finished his collegiate pitching career in at Tennessee-Martin obtaining his degree in 1997. Matt and his wife, Natalie, reside in Lavergne, Tenn. with their son, Easton.
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