Early UAB Surge Too Much for Bruins in Series Opener

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --  Belmont baseball dropped the opening game of their weekend series Friday night, falling 13-3 to the UAB Blazers baseball at Young Memorial Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

UAB used a powerful offensive start to take control of the contest early and never looked back, scoring nine runs across the first two innings to build a lead the Bruins could not overcome.

The turning point came in the bottom of the first inning when the Blazers erupted for five runs to seize immediate momentum. UAB capitalized on several early base runners and capped the inning with a three-run home run from John Paul Head that pushed the Blazers ahead 5-0 before Belmont could settle in.

UAB continued its offensive push in the second inning, adding four more runs to extend the lead to 9-0. Head struck again with another home run during the inning, finishing the night with two homers and six RBIs as the Blazers built a commanding advantage.

Belmont responded in the second inning when Charlie Davis doubled and later scored to put the Bruins on the board. The Bruins added two more runs in the fifth inning as the offense began to generate momentum. Cavan McMeans delivered a triple to spark the inning, while Mike Sprockett drove in a run to cut into the deficit.

Despite Belmont's efforts to climb back into the contest, UAB answered again in the fifth inning with four additional runs, including a pair of home runs that stretched the lead to 13-3 and put the game firmly out of reach.

Offensively, Belmont recorded nine hits on the night. Davis led the Bruins with two hits and an RBI, while McMeans added a triple and scored a run. Brady Holbrook and Brody Langlotz also collected hits as the Bruins continued to produce traffic on the bases.

On the mound, Belmont starter Tate Marland took the loss after UAB's early offensive surge. Relievers Krish Gandhi and Aubrey Moraitakis combined to settle the game in later innings, limiting further damage and closing the final frames.

Game time is set for tomorrow at 2:00 PM from Young Memorial Field. The game will be broadcast on ESPN. 

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