Bruins Pick Up 9-6 Win Over UAB

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont (8-6) welcomed UAB (6-7) to E.S. Rose Park Friday afternoon, as the teams kicked off their weekend series. Brodey Heaton's two home runs and Belmont's massive eighth inning secured the 9-6 win for the Bruins, in the series opener.
 
Bruin Bullets

• Brodey Heaton had a s season-high three hits, with a pair of solo home runs. It was Heaton's second career multi-home run game. He has recorded three or more hits in 13 games in his career. He now leads the Bruins with five homers on the season. Heaton also scored three times, for the fifth time in his career.
• Jack Rando had his second consecutive multi-hit game, as he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and stole a base.
• Sam Slaughter picked up two RBIs and a stolen base. He has knocked in at least one run in the last three games.
• Will Pryor went 6.2 innings, allowed three runs on six hits, and struck out four batters.
• Hank Liss picked up the win, after a scoreless eighth inning with a strikeout.
• Bill Duby picked up his first save as a Bruin.
• Landon Godsey threw out two runners.

UAB got on the scoreboard in the first inning. A leadoff single from Daryll Buggs, followed by a wild pitch, moved a Blazer into scoring position. Buggs scored two batters later on a ground ball to Brodey Heaton at first.
 
Belmont responded in the second inning, with a leadoff solo home run from Heaton. Belmont stranded one runner on base to end the inning, but tied the game at 1-1.
 
The Blazers started to chip away at Will Pryor in the fifth inning. A leadoff double from Gavin Lewis Jr. put the leadoff man aboard for UAB for the fourth inning. He came around to score on a two-out double from Buggs, as UAB retook the lead, 2-1.
 
Pryor returned to the mound for Belmont in the seventh inning. After a Lewis Jr. one-out single, followed by a strikeout, Alex Chessman drew a walk. A wild pitch allowed Lewis Jr. to advance to third, and Cheeseman stole second later on. Another pitch got away from Pryor, and scored a run for UAB. Pryor was able to strand two runners on base to end the top of the seventh, but UAB increased their lead, to 3-1.
 
Heaton reignited the offense for Belmont in the home half with a first-pitch home run to left field. The second big fly from Heaton cut the deficit to 3-2, but Belmont wasn't done scoring.
 
 A two-out walk issued to Jack Rando put the tying run aboard. Pete Daniel singled and moved Rando to second. Max Blessinger drove a 3-2 pitch up the middle, which brought Rando around to score. Belmont tied the game at 3-3, after the seventh.
 
 Pryor went out for the eighth inning, but came out after Jake Smallwood led off the inning with a single. Blake Ciueffetelli came into the ball game for Belmont, and prevented the Blazers from regaining the lead.
 
The Bruins' offense erupted in the bottom half. Landon Godsey led off with a walk. Both Mason Landers and Heaton singled, which loaded the bases with no outs. Max Jones drew a walk that gave Belmont their first lead of the game.
 
A call to the bullpen didn't help the Blazers, as Belmont continued to attack at the plate. Kaden Galason hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Landers. In the next at-bat, Jones and Heaton moved up a bag on a passed ball. Rando drove them both in on a single, which extended Belmont's lead, 7-3. Blessinger reached on a fielder's choice. Another wild pitch allowed for the runners to advance one base. Sam Slaughter drove an 0-2 pitch to left field, which scored both Blessinger and Daniel. Belmont scored six runs on four hits, and led going into the final inning, 9-3.
 
 
 UAB made things interesting in the ninth inning. Jordan Zuger allowed a one-out single to Cheeseman, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Another single from Buggs put runners on the corners. Logan Braunschweig struck out, for the second out. Smallwood kept the game alive, as he drove in two runs on a weak infield single to the right side. UAB cut the Belmont lead to 9-5. A double two batters later from Tyler Waugh scored another run for the Blazers. Bill Duby replaced Zuger and struck out Tyler Harrington on three pitches. Belmont won the game, 9-6.
 
 The Bruins and Blazers return to action tomorrow afternoon at E.S. Rose Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT. Coverage of the game can be found at belmontbruins.com.
 
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