NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Bradley Baseball took game one of the three-game weekend series against the Belmont Bruins on Friday, 13-8.

Strong Offensive Start

Belmont got on the board early with a two-RBI single in the second inning. The Braves responded immediately in the third inning, scoring seven runs. Luke Skinner and Landon Lowe hit RBI singles, and Hayden Miller followed with a two-RBI single. Michael Quick and Miller pulled off a double steal with Quick coming home to score the fourth run of the inning. Jaxon Schumacher's RBI single scored Miller, and AJ Garcia capped off the inning with an RBI double.

The Bruins rallied in the fifth inning with two bases-loaded walks, an RBI groundout, and a two-RBI double to tie the game at 7-7. Bradley regained the lead on Skinner's RBI single in the top of the sixth, but Belmont tied it at 8-8 with a solo home run in the bottom half of the inning. Miller's RBI double in the seventh gave Bradley the lead, and they didn't relinquish it for the rest of the game.

The Braves added insurance runs in the eighth when Peyton Nelson scored after Skinner reached on an error, Quick and Miller each hit RBI singles, and Schumacher hit an RBI groundout to make it 13-8.

Standout Performances for Bradley

Skinner ended the game hitting 3-for-5 with a walk, three RBI, and two runs scored. Miller went 3-for-5 with a double, four RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base. Quick also had a three-hit game, going 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base.

Everyone contributed up and down the lineup, as all nine Bradley hitters recorded at least one hit and eight of them scored at least one run, with seven of them driving in at least one run.

On the Mound

Davis Webb earned the start, pitching 4.1 innings while allowing seven runs on five hits, issuing seven walks, and recording seven strikeouts. Joey Cirelli followed, yielding one run on three hits over 1.1 innings while recording one strikeout. 

Ryan Schaffnit earned the win, pitching the final 3.1 shutout innings while giving up one hit, issuing two walks, and recording five strikeouts.

Standout Performances for Belmont

Michael Lareau had a strong performance, as he went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and three RBI. On the mound, Sam Heyman pitched four innings, giving up two runs on five hits, walking two, and striking out three.

By the Numbers

Bradley: 13 runs, 16 hits, 2 errors
Belmont: 6 runs, 9 hits, 1 error