Baseball Overpowers UT Martin in Sunday Doubleheader

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Behind an explosion of home runs and dynamic pitching, the Belmont University baseball team rolled to their first two wins of the season on Sunday, taking down the University of Tennessee at Martin, 11-4 in the first game of the doubleheader and 4-2 in the second affair at E.S. Rose Park. 

Six home runs from five different Bruins led Belmont (2-2) to the opening win, while Mason Landers' go-ahead, three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth catapulted the Bruins to a come-from-behind victory in the nightcap. 

Landers hit three home runs in all across the two games, leading a stout Bruin charge at the plate.

Game One 

Belmont mashed six home runs and recorded 14 hits on the way to their first win of the season in the afternoon portion of Sunday's doubleheader, taking down UT Martin, 11-4, in seven innings. 

The six home runs were the most by a Bruin team since they hit 12 out in their famous 34-10 victory over UT Martin on March 29, 2015. 

Max Blessinger got the fireworks started with a solo shot off the scoreboard in center field in the second inning, tying the game at 1-1. After Sam Kirkpatrick got aboard with a bunt single, Sam Slaughter blasted a moonshot to right field, giving the Bruins a 3-1 advantage in the second frame. 

Blessinger drove in another run when he came up in the third inning, sending a ball deep to center field that allowed Cade Rogers to tag and score on a sacrifice fly. Immediately after, Sam Kirkpatrick drilled a ball over the left field fence, driving in Mason Landers with a two-run blast. 

In the fourth, balls continued to fly out of the yard, with Jack Rando and Mason Landers each homering. 

When the dust cleared in the fifth, Belmont had scored three runs in the second, third, and fourth innings, and led 9-1. 

Landers went on to add another home run in the sixth inning, a two-run shot to left to give Belmont plenty of cushion for the victory. 

Jordan Zuger (W, 1-0) earned the win on the mound, going four and a third innings on the mound with four strikeouts and a walk. Prior to running into trouble in the fifth, the right-hander scattered just three hits over the first four frames, tallying four punchouts. 

Jett Thielke was stellar in his Bruin debut out of the bullpen, finishing the final two and two-third innings on the hill while only allowing one baserunner. The junior picked up two strikeouts to help close out the win. 

Game Two 

In the second game, dominant pitching stole the spotlight for most of the game, with Dominic Baratta working through the Skyhawk lineup to the tune of five scoreless innings with only one hit and a career-high seven strikeouts. 

On the other side, UT Martin starter Seth Petry carried a perfect game into the sixth inning before Drew Lowry got aboard with a one-out double. 

With UT Martin leading 1-0 in the sixth, and two outs on the board with Lowry still at second base, Jack Rando put a ball in play with a popup on the infield. When a Skyhawk dropped it, Lowry scored the tying run to even things at 1-1. 

Battling in the top of the eighth inning still tied at 1-1, UT Martin was able to manufacture a run to take a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth. 

Rando drew a one-out walk off reliever Tucker Reed, before Harden advanced him to second base on a groundout. 

With two outs and the tying run at second base, Brodey Heaton earned a tough base on balls that included a wild pitch, putting Belmont runners on first and third with Mason Landers coming up to the plate. 

After taking ball one, Landers unloaded on a ball to left field for his third home run of the day, a go-ahead three-run blast that put the Bruins in front for good, 4-2. 

Ethan Harden (W, 1-0) earned the win in relief. Jake Timbes provided two strong innings coming on to replace Baratta, allowing just one unearned run while recording two strikeouts. 

Up Next 

Belmont wraps up their season-opening homestand with a midweek matchup against WKU on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at E.S. Rose Park. 

Live radio play-by-play will be broadcast on the Bruin Sports Network, and live stats will be carried on BelmontBruins.com. 

Follow Belmont baseball on social media - @BelmontBaseball on Twitter and @belmontbaseball on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.          

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