ATLANTA – The 2025 baseball season began for Belmont University Friday night. The Bruins traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, and faced Georgia State for the first time in two decades. The Panthers capitalized with runners in scoring position early in the game, as the Bruins were quiet at the plate. In the end, Georgia State defeated Belmont 9-2 in the season opener.
Will Pryor struck out the first two batters in his season debut. Three Panthers reached base after as Georgia State threatened to score in the first inning. Pryor dialed back in and struck out William Maginnis to leave the bases juiced.
Georgia State scored the first run of the game in the second inning. Jar Williams hit a two-out single and scored on a double from Kaleb Freeman.
The Panthers extended their lead to 5-0 in the third inning. Georgia State scored four runs on four hits, highlighted by a Jesse Donohoe RBI triple. Pryor's night ended with the bases loaded and two outs.
Cade Granzow's first pitch of the season resulted in a line out to center field.
Belmont responded in the top half of the fourth. Kaden Galson and
Michael Lareau drew walks with the bases loaded. Georgia State went to the bullpen to escape disaster, and preserved their lead, 5-2.
Georgia State hung another crooked number on the scoreboard in the sixth. Colin Hynek hit a three-run home run that wrapped around the left field foul pole to extend the Panthers lead, 8-2.
The Panthers added one more to the scoreboard in the seventh on an RBI single from Cole Griffith.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Johnathon Van Ness made his collegiate debut in the seventh. His final line included two innings of work, one earned run and four strikeouts.
The Bruins had an opportunity to make some noise in the ninth. The Bruins had bases loaded with two outs.
Landon Godsey drew a walk that brought home a run to make it a 9-3 deficit. It was too little too late for the Bruins, as Belmont dropped the series opener.
Bruin Bullets
- Will Pryor made his second consecutive Opening Day start for the Bruins. He finished the night with 2.2 innings pitched, allowed five earned runs on six hits, and four strikeouts.
- Cade Granzow tossed 3.1 innings in relief. The senior allowed three runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
- Jonathan Van Ness was the most efficient Belmont pitcher of the night. The freshman struck out four batters in his two innings of work in his collegiate debut.
- Belmont pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.
- Kaden Galason, Michael Lareau and Landon Godsey recorded an RBI.
- Lareau's double in the third inning was the first hit of the 2025 season.
- Charlie Davis recorded his first hit as Bruin with a single in the eighth inning.
Up Next
The Bruins return to action against Georgia State Saturday afternoon for game two of the opening series. First pitch from the GSU Baseball Complex is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. Fans can follow along with
live stats or X at
@belmontbaseball.
Follow Belmont baseball on social media -
@BelmontBaseball on X 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
