NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Baseball used a clutch late-inning surge and a decisive swing from Jake Maddox to secure a 4-3 victory over UIC at E.S. Rose Park on Friday afternoon. The Bruins (9-17, 1-3 MVC) erased an early deficit and leaned on timely hitting and strong pitching to claim the conference win.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Belmont delivered the game's defining moment. With two outs and runners aboard, Jake Maddox launched a three-run home run to left, flipping the score and energizing the Bruins' dugout. The blast marked Maddox's lone hit of the afternoon but proved to be the difference, as he finished with three RBIs on the day.
UIC (6-16-1, 2-2 MVC) struck first in the second inning, capitalizing on a two-RBI double from Sean Cody to take an early 2-0 lead. Belmont responded steadily, cutting into the deficit in the fifth when Charlie Davis singled home JD Whitworth to make it 2-1.
The Bruins continued to apply pressure offensively, totaling 11 hits on the day. Charlie Davis led the charge with a 3-for-4 performance and an RBI, while Brady Holbrook added a pair of hits. Whitworth also contributed, scoring twice and tripling to spark the fifth-inning rally.
On the mound, Tate Marland delivered a strong outing, earning the win after tossing 7.1 innings and 105 pitches while allowing three runs on six hits and striking out six. Marland worked through early trouble and settled in to keep Belmont within striking distance before the offense broke through.
Zane Brown entered in relief and closed the door over the final 1.2 innings, navigating traffic in the eighth before retiring the side in the ninth to secure the victory.
UIC threatened late, plating a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, but Belmont's pitching staff held firm to preserve the one-run lead.
The Bruins' resilience and timely execution proved pivotal, highlighted by Maddox's seventh-inning heroics that turned the tide and ultimately lifted Belmont to its first conference win.
Belmont will look to carry the momentum into the remainder of the series against UIC this weekend at E.S. Rose Park.
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