NASHVILLE, TN — Junior Andy Shadid was perfect Friday afternoon as he led Bradley Baseball to a 7-4 victory over Belmont in the first of a three-game series. Shadid was 2-for-2 with a home run, two runs, three walks and a stolen base. He has now reached base safely in eight-consecutive plate appearances.

Though Shadid shined in the series opener, the victory proved to be a team effort. Seven different Braves had RBI in the seven-run performance, and only two (minimum one at-bat) ended the game without at least one hit.

The Braves were down early, giving up one run on three hits to Belmont in the second inning. Bradley showed immediately that it wouldn't go down without a fight. Sophomore Luke Shadid (3-for-6, 2 R, RBI), started things for the Braves, picking up his first hit of the day with a single to left field. He subsequently stole second base and came around to score on a base hit from junior Luke Mangieri (1-for-4, RBI).

Beginning what appeared to be a ping-pong match of a game, Belmont came back in the bottom of the third inning with two runs on three hits of their own. Not to be out-done, Andy Shadid answered in the top of the fourth with a solo blast to right field, his second home run of the season. Freshmen Eli Rawlinson and Keaton Rice pitched in when a single from Rice scored Rawlinson to tie the game at three.

The score remained three-all until the seventh inning when Bradley took advantage of faltering pitching from the Bruins. Leading off for the Braves, Mangieri was hit with the first pitch of the inning. He was ultimately caught stealing, but Bradley didn't let that stop its roll. Following a two-out double from senior Derek Bangert (3-for-4, R, SB), the Bruins gave up four consecutive bases. After sophomore Brendan Dougherty took the second first-pitch HBP of the inning, Andy Shadid, sophomore Dan Bolt and Rawlinson all reached base via walks. The inning resulted in two runs on one hit, giving the Braves a 5-3 lead.

Luke Shadid was involved in both of Bradley's final two runs, scoring one in the eighth inning and bringing home brother Andy with a base hit in the ninth to round out the scoring and seal the 7-4 victory.

Junior Cole Cook, Bradley's starter, picked up his second win of the season after throwing 7.1 solid innings, his longest outing of 2018 thus far. Though he struck out just two, Cook produced 12 groundouts and seven flyouts in 31 batters faced. Coming into the game in the eighth inning, junior Boby Johnson picked up his second save of the season. He allowed just one hit and struck out two in his 1.2 innings of action.

The series versus Belmont continues Saturday, March 3, in Nashville. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. (CST).