NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont delivered one of its most dramatic wins of the season Sunday afternoon, outlasting Bradley in a wild, back-and-forth battle and walking it off for a 12-11 victory at E.S. Rose Park.

In a game that featured early dominance, a stunning collapse, and a resilient comeback, the Bruins showed their toughness, responding to adversity and finishing the job in their final at-bat.

Belmont wasted no time setting the tone.

The Bruins erupted for five runs in the bottom of the first inning, immediately putting Bradley on its heels. Charlie Davis ignited the offense with a leadoff single before Landon Godsey continued his monster day with an RBI double to open the scoring. Godsey later came around on a Bradley error, and Belmont kept the line moving as Cavan McMeans and Mike Sprockett delivered back-to-back doubles. Michael Lareau capped the inning with a two-run double to center, giving Belmont a commanding 5-0 lead after one.

The offensive surge continued in the second.

Davis again sparked the inning with a double, setting the stage for Godsey, who launched a two-run home run to extend the lead to 7-0. Belmont added another run later in the inning on Jake Maddox's RBI double, pushing the advantage to 8-0 and forcing an early pitching change.

Belmont wasn't done.

In the third, Brody Langlotz reached and eventually scored on Godsey's RBI single, stretching the lead to 9-0. At that point, the Bruins had totaled 10 hits and looked firmly in control.

Then came the turning point.

Bradley flipped the game in the top of the fourth inning with an explosive 11-run frame, completely changing the trajectory of the contest. The Braves strung together nine hits, capitalized on free passes, and delivered multiple clutch extra-base hits, including a two-run double and a two-run triple from Aj Garcia. What had been a comfortable Belmont lead suddenly turned into an 11-9 Bradley advantage in a matter of minutes.

After the chaos of the fourth, the game settled and Belmont regrouped.

The Bruins' bullpen played a critical role in keeping the game within reach. Brooks McDonnough stabilized things with four innings of one-run baseball, limiting further damage and allowing Belmont's offense time to respond. Owen Marsh then took over late and delivered two scoreless innings, stranding key runners and giving Belmont a chance in the final frames.

That opportunity came in the eighth inning.

Trailing 11-9, Belmont mounted a composed rally. McMeans singled to start the inning, and Sprockett followed with a base hit to put two on. Maddox came through in the clutch with an RBI double to cut the deficit to one. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Lareau grounded out to first, bringing home the tying run and evening the score at 11-11.

With momentum shifting back to the home side, Marsh returned to the mound in the ninth and worked around traffic to keep Bradley off the board, stranding the go-ahead run and setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

In the bottom of the ninth, Belmont capitalized.

Davis once again set the tone, drawing a leadoff walk. Godsey, who had been dominant all afternoon, delivered in the biggest moment with a clutch double to left field, moving Davis to third and putting the winning run just 90 feet away. After Bradley issued an intentional walk and recorded a key strikeout, Sprockett stepped to the plate with one out.

On a deep fly ball to center field, Sprockett did exactly what was needed, lifting a sacrifice fly that allowed Davis to tag and score easily, sealing the 12-11 walk-off victory and sending the Bruins pouring out of the dugout in celebration.

Belmont's offense was relentless throughout, finishing with 17 hits. Godsey led the way with a 4-for-6 performance and four RBI, while Davis and McMeans each added three hits. Maddox also tallied three hits and drove in two, and Lareau contributed three RBI in a well-rounded attack. Sprockett's final stat line included two RBI, none bigger than the game-winner.

Despite the fourth-inning setback, Belmont's pitching staff delivered when it mattered most, holding Bradley scoreless over the final five innings to complete the comeback.

Up Next

Belmont will host Southern Illinois in a pivotal weekend series leading up to the MVC tournament. Both teams are even at 9-9 in the conference and hold the 6th and 7th seed. First Pitch is set for Friday, May 8 at 4:00 PM from E.S. Rose Park
 

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