Baseball Closes Homestand with Win Over UT-Martin

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont (10-7) closed out their five-game homestand against UT Martin (5-12) Wednesday afternoon. Cade Granzow's best career start and timely hitting was enough for Belmont to push past the Skyhawks, 3-2.

Bruin Bullets

• Cade Granzow moves to 1-1 on the season. He recorded career highs in innings pitched (6) and strikeouts (6). It was Granzow's most efficient outing of the season, as he allowed a season-low two earned runs on four hits.
• Sam Slaughter hit a game-high 2-for-3, with a pair of RBIs. This was Slaughter's third multi-RBI game in the last four games. He's recorded an RBI in five of his last six games.
• Jack Rando recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
• Bill Dudy notched his second save of the season. The graduate transfer went 1.2 hitless innings with one strikeout.
• Jordan Zuger tosses 1.1 scoreless innings.
• Michael Lareau and Max Blessinger recorded stolen bases. 

Both teams went down 1-2-3 at the plate in the first inning. UT Martin scored first in the game, on a first-pitch solo home run from Cole Smith. Granzow settled back in and retired the next three batters, with two strikeouts. The Belmont starter had four punchouts in seven batters faced, through two innings.
 
 Belmont scored in the bottom of the third. Lareau got hit on the first pitch of his at-bat, and then advanced to second on a ground ball from Heath Owen. Slaughter hit a double to right field, which brought Lareau home. The inning ended on a double play, but Belmont tied the game, 1-1.
 
 The Bruins took their first lead in the fifth inning. Blessinger and Lareau walked to start the inning. They both stole a base during Owen's at-bat. Slaughter stepped up and dropped a ball into right field, which scored Blessinger. Following a pitching change, Rando hit a fly ball deep enough for Lareau to tag from third. The sacrifice fly gave Belmont a 3-1 lead.
 
 UT Martin responded in the top of the sixth. Andrew Fernandez hit a solo home run to dead center field. Belmont stranded a runner in scoring position in the home half. Going into the seventh inning, Belmont led 3-2.
 
Things got interesting in the eighth inning. Jordan Zuger walked the leadoff man, but got Fernandez to ground into a fielder's choice. Blake Ciueffetelli lasted one batter, which he walked, before Bill Duby came in. After walking the first batter he faced, Duby got Belmont out of the bases-loaded jam. Slaughter made a low catch on a line drive to right field, and doubled off Will Smith at first base. Duby made light work of the Skyhawks in the ninth. Belmont held on to win the game, 3-2.
   
 Up Next
Belmont travels to Indiana for a weekend series in Bloomington, Indiana. The first game of the series is Friday, March 15, at 4 p.m. CT. Game times and coverage of the series can be found at belmontbruins.com.
 
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