Baseball Hosts UIC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont (11-10) begins MVC play this weekend at home against UIC (13-6). Game coverage and information can be found at belmontbruins.com.
 
Friday, March 22 | 12 p.m.
Live Stats | Listen
 
Saturday, March 23 | 2 p.m.
 
Live Stats | Watch | Listen
 
Sunday, March 24 | 1 p.m.
 
Live Stats | Listen
 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday
Belmont: Will Pryor (So. / RHP): 5 GS, 2-1, 4.00 ERA, 27 IP, 29 K, 11 BB
Last start (3/15 vs. Indiana): W, 5 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 K, 3 BB
UIC: Dillion Schueler (So. / RHP): 5 GS, 3-0, 3.37 ERA, 26.2 IP, 14 K, 10 BB
Last start (3/15 vs. SIU Edwardsville): 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
 
Saturday
Belmont: Dominic Baratta (Rs – Sr. / LHP): 7 G, 2 GS, 1-1, 6.05 ERA, 19.1 IP, 17 K, 10 BB
Last start (3/16 vs. Indiana): 4 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 6 K, 2 BB
UIC: Brandon Bak (So. / LHP): 5 GS, 2-1, 3.18 ERA, 34 IP, 28 K, 7 BB
Last start (Game 1 - 3/16 vs. SIU Edwardsville): W, 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
 
Sunday
Belmont: Joe Ruzicka (So. / RHP): 5 GS, 2-2, 5.33 ERA, 25.1 IP, 18 K, 16 BB
Last start (3/17 vs. Indiana): L, 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 2 K, 7 BB
UIC: Kendall Lyons (So. / RHP): 5 GS, 1-1, 5.60 ERA, 27.1 IP, 13 K, 10 BB
Last start (Game 2 - 3/16 vs. SIU Edwardsville: 4 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 K
 
GAME RECAP VS. #3 VANDERBILT (MARCH 19^th)
Belmont lost to #3 Vanderbilt, 3-1.

• Blake Ciuffetelli made his first start as a Bruin and recorded a season-high five strikeouts. The lefty tossed five innings and allowed two runs on four hits.
• Mason Landers hit a solo home run in the eighth inning. The senior has homered in four consecutive games and tied for a team-high with six.
• Sam Slaughter recorded a career-high three hits.
• Caleb Guisewite pitched a season-high two innings.
• Ty Allen threw a scoreless eighth inning, in his second-straight relief appearance.
• Belmont held Vanderbilt to a season-low three runs. The Commodores scored three runs one other time this season, against Houston eleven games ago on March 2^nd.
• The two-run loss marks the smallest win margin for the Commodores in their six games against an MVC team this season.

BRUINS IN THE MVC RANKINGS
Hitting

• Max Blessinger – T-3^rd in triples (2)
• Brodey Heaton & Mason Landers – T-7^th in home runs (6)
• Sam Slaughter – 10^th in stolen bases (5) 

Pitching

• Will Pryor – 6^th in ERA (4.00), T-3^rd in strikeouts (29), 4^th in fewest runs allowed (12), 6^th in innings pitched (27), 7^th in opponent batting average (.250)
• Joe Ruzicka – 2^nd in opponent batting average (.215), 10^th in innings pitched  (25.1)
• Bill Duby – T-4^th in saves (2) 

SCOUTING REPORT: UIC FLAMES

• UIC leads the MVC in team batting average (.319) and hits (219). A trio of Flames occupy the three highest batting averages in the conference: Pambos Nicoloudes (.438), Jackson Bessette (.418), and Zane Zielinski (.413).
• The Flames are on a three-game win streak. UIC swept SIU Edwardsville at home last weekend and picked up a 6-5 win on the road at Purdue on Wednesday.
• UIC began their season with a 2-1 series win over Kansas in Corpus Christi, Texas. 

MATCHUP HISTORY

• UIC is 4-0 all-time against Belmont.
• The Flames swept the regular season series in Chicago, Illinois. Belmont was outscored 27-16 in three games.
• UIC defeated Belmont in the first round the 2023 MVC Tournament, 10-5. Brodey Heaton went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs and four RBIS.
• This series marks the first time UIC travels to Nashville in the all-time matchup. 

ON DECK
 
Belmont will face #11 Alabama on Tuesday, March 26. First pitch from Toyota Field is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase tickets to the game at 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.
 
#ItsBruinTime