Baseball Visits Rival Lipscomb

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - The Battle of the Boulevard adds a new chapter on Wednesday. Belmont (15-13) travels down the boulevard to rival Lipscomb (7-19) for their first action in April. First pitch from Ken Dugan Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. Fans can tune into the action on iHeartRadio or with live stats.
 
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Belmont: Blake Ciuffetelli (Gr. / LHP): 0-2, 12 APP, 2 GS, 4.66 ERA, 19.1 IP, 21 K, 10 BB
Last start (3/26 vs. #16 Alabama): L, 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K
Last appearance (3/30 vs. Murray State): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Lipscomb: Tanner Lyne (Rs. - Fr. / RHP): 1-1, 5 APP, 1 GS, 7.00 ERA, 9 IP, 7 K, 3 BB
Last start (3/26 vs. Memphis): W, 3 IP, 2 H, 3 K, 1 BB
 
BRUIN BULLETS

• Belmont's 21 hits in the first game of the series against Murray State are tied for a team game-high in the MVC.
• Sam Slaughter continues to produce in the leadoff spot. His .385 batting average is the third highest in the conference. In the last ten games, Slaughter has a team-high 20 hits, a .465 batting average, and a .549 on-base percentage. He also has 13 RBI and is on a ten-game hit streak.
• Mason Landers carries a team-high 11-game hit streak into Wednesday's game. He leads the team with 11 multi-hit and multi-RBI games.
• Blake Barton continues to shine in his return to the starting lineup. Barton is batting. 350 in 11 games this season, with ten starts. He's a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts.
• Blake Ciuffetelli has emerged as Belmont's midweek starter. In his last two starts against #3 Vanderbilt and #16 Alabama, Ciuffetelli has allowed three runs in nine innings, with 13 strikeouts. His seven strikeouts against Alabama set a new career-high.

SERIES RECAP: MURRAY STATE

• The Bruins swept Murray State on the road, to improve to 4-2 in MVC play. Belmont hit .407 as a team, scored 42 runs, totaled 51 hits, and smashed six home runs in the series.
• Sam Slaughter led the Bruins in the series with a team-high .533 batting average (8-for-15). He finished the series with six RBI.
• Brodey Heaton recorded his 226^th career hit in his first at-bat during Thursday's game moving him to tenth all-time in career hits in program history. He finished the game with four hits and four RBI in the 15-4 victory. The first baseman went 7-for-14 with seven RBI during the series.
• Mason Landers continues to drive in runs for the Bruins. The senior led the team with eight RBI and three home runs, in the series against Murray State. Landers homered twice in Friday's 14-4 victory, and once in Saturday's series finale. He leads the team with ten home runs and 32 RBI on the season.
• Blake Barton led the team with ten hits in four games. He set a new career-high Saturday with four hits and scored three times.
• Will Pryor recorded another quality start on Thursday. The sophomore went six innings and struck out five Racers, as he improved his record to 3-1.
• Dominic Baratta tossed a complete game in Friday's 14-4 win. Baratta allowed four runs and struck out five batters. Baratta is now 3-1 on the season.
• Cade Granzow struck out a career-high six batters in four shutout innings of relief work on Saturday. 

MASON IS THE MAN
Belmont's Mason Landers had another massive week at the plate. He dominated Murray State's pitching and helped the Bruins complete a road sweep. Landers posted a .462 batting average with a .500 on-base percentage. Landers led the team with three home runs, eight RBI, 15 total bases, and a 1.154 slugging percentage. Landers went 3-for-4 in Friday's 14-4 win, with two home runs, three runs, and four RBI. He capped off the series with another multi-hit game with two RBIs, and a home run. Landers ranks third in the MVC with 10 home runs and tied for fourth in RBI with 32 on the season. He went 2-for-5 on Tuesday night with a triple against #16 Alabama. Landers was named the 44th third baseman in the D1Baseball top 50 third basemen Week Six ranking.
 
SCOUTING REPORT: LIPSCOMB BISONS

• Lipscomb won their first series of the season last week against North Alabama.
• Trace Willhoite was tabbed the 24^th best third baseman in the nation by D1baseball in their Week Six top 50 ranking. He is batting .313 on the season and leads the team with 25 RBI. He's tied with Alex Vergara for the Bisons' home run crown with 10 on the season.
• The Bisons are 3-7 at Ken Dugan Field this season. Their last win at home came on March 15 against Austin Peay.
• Head coach Jeff Forehand is in his 18^th season leading the Bisons. He was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2022 and 2023.

LAST TIME VS. LIPSCOMB (MAY 9, 2023)

• Lipscomb escaped disaster in the ninth inning and won the last meeting, 8-7.
• Belmont scored three runs, all with two outs, in their final at-bats.
• Blake Barton led the Bruins at the plate, as he finished 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
• The Bruins outhit the Bisons, 12-6, but left nine runners on base.

MATCHUP HISTORY

• Belmont leads the all-time series, with a 35-22 record against Lipscomb.
• The teams split the Battle of the Boulevard last season. Both teams won at the opponent's field; Belmont won 4-1 at Lipscomb, and the Bisons dealt the Bruins an 8-7 at E.S. Rose Park.
• The last time a team swept the series was in 2018, as Belmont won both games by scores of 8-7 and 8-6.
• Nine of the last 15 matchups have been decided by three or fewer runs.

ON DECK
The Bruins return to MVC action this weekend against Evansville. The series begins Friday, April 5. First pitch from E.S. Rose Park is scheduled for 4 p.m. CT. All games will be available on ESPN+ and iHeartRadio.
 
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.