BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Belmont Bruins close out opening weekend Saturday with the rubber match of their three-game series against the Samford Bulldogs at J.L. Griffin Field. First pitch is slated for the afternoon as both teams look to secure the series win.
Belmont enters the finale with momentum after splitting Friday's doubleheader, responding to a 7–3 setback in the opener with a commanding 14–4 victory in Game Two. The Bruins' offense came alive in the nightcap, piling up 17 hits and scoring in multiple innings, including an eight-run second inning that set the tone for the win.
Several Bruins have already found an early rhythm at the plate. Belmont saw strong performances throughout the lineup Friday, with multiple players delivering multi-hit games and contributing to a balanced offensive attack that featured both extra-base power and situational hitting. The Bruins have also shown patience and aggressiveness offensively, working quality at-bats and capitalizing on scoring opportunities when presented.
On the mound, Belmont received a steady start in Game Two and will look for another strong outing in the finale to complement its productive offense. Limiting free baserunners and controlling the middle innings will be key against a Samford team that showed the ability to generate timely hits in the series opener.
Defensively, the Bruins have been largely clean through the first two games, an encouraging sign for a club still settling into the early portion of the season. Carrying that consistency into Saturday's contest will be critical in what is expected to be a competitive rubber match.
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