Jackson, MS-It was a record breaking year for the Belhaven softball team in 2009 as the team broke 26 various national and school records in route to a 36-19 record. The 36 wins by the Lady Blazers sets a new school record for most victories in a season and it was the second time in four years that the previous record has been eclipsed. Belhaven also received votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll throughout the entire 2009 campaign and has reached at least 30 wins in each of the last four seasons.

                                                            

The Lady Blazers started the season 11-4 which included key victories over Southern Oregon University, Lindenwood University, and a double header sweep at NCAA Division I Grambling State University. Belhaven then hit a rough spell losing both games of a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference double header at the University of Mobile and then split a GCAC twin bill at Spring Hill College to run their record to 12-7.

 

The Lady Blazers bounced back to win 13 of their next 17 games and at that point were 25-11 on the year. Belhaven won four games against Grace College, picked up a victory over Williams Baptist College, earned doubleheader sweeps against LSU-Alexandria and Judson College, followed by two wins against Lambuth, a win over 14^th ranked William Woods University, and Bethel College.

 

Belhaven then traveled to William Carey University and lost two tough 2-0 games at the hands of the Lady Crusaders, but fought back to get two wins over 10^th ranked Mobile before sweeping Grambling State and Lambuth in doubleheaders. The Lady Blazers split a doubleheader with Alcorn State and tied the previous school record for most wins in a season of 33 in a 10-1 triumph over Jackson State University. The next day Belhaven surpassed the record with an 8-1 win over Spring Hill College improving their record to 34-15.

 

The Lady Blazers closed out the regular season with a pair of losses to William Carey as they headed into the postseason. Belhaven opened the GCAC Tournament with a 10-0 setback to Mobile, but regrouped to win their next two games to advance to the tournament championship contest for the third time in four years. Belhaven eliminated Spring Hill 4-0 and then avenged their earlier loss to Mobile with a 4-2 win over the Lady Rams. The Lady Blazers bowed out to William Carey in the championship game.

 

Senior's Britney Webb, Mallory Meadows, and Keresa Steichen had solid seasons to round out their careers in a Belhaven uniform. Webb set a new school record for most runs scored in a season with 73 and also led the nation in that category. She racked up nine triples which led the nation and also set a new single season school record. Webb also made 181 trips to the plate which was also a new Belhaven single season record. Webb finished the year with a .403 batting average, six home runs, 40 RBI's and 55 stolen bases which led the country and set another Belhaven single season record.

 

Meadows broke her share of records in 2009 as she turned in one of the best seasons in school history. Meadows led the team with a .485 batting average, had a team and NAIA best 78 RBI's, blasted 18 home runs (2^nd Nationally), and collected a total of 80 hits on the year. Meadows also had 150 total bases and ranked fourth nationally in that category. Meadows now owns the Belhaven single season records in each of the aforementioned category's. Meadows also ripped 14 doubles, recorded a slugging percentage of .909 and tied an NAIA single game record with 10 RBI's against Rust College during the 2009 season.

 

Freshman Heather Pace got into the record books in 2009 leading the Lady Blazers and the NAIA in doubles with 24. Her 24 doubles puts her at the top of the Belhaven record books for the most in a single season. Pace also broke the NAIA record for most RBI's in a game with 11 in a 21-2 win over 14^th William Woods University. Pace finished the year with a.407 batting average, four home runs, and 61 runs batted in.

 

Junior Tiffany Ansley played great defense at third all year for the Lady Blazers in helping to turn eight double plays and had 117 defensive attempts in 2009 which were both new single season school records. Ansley made big contributions at the plate as well posting a .442 batting average, with four home runs and 29 RBI's.

 

Sophomore Salina Cervantes anchored the pitching staff with a team best 16 wins. She had an ERA of 2.58 and struck out 73 opposing hitters while walking only 14 the entire season. Cervantes came up big at the plate as well by compiling a .352 batting average with six home runs and 26 RBI's.

 

In addition to earning the most wins in a single season, Belhaven also shattered 11 other single season team records in 2009. The Lady Blazers scored 371 runs, collected 520 hits (2^nd in NAIA), had 740 total bases, had a slugging percentage of .499, an on base percentage of .405, a team batting average of .351, made 1482 total plate appearances, 327 RBI's, had 1,630 catches, 500 defensive attempts, and turned 15 double plays.

 

Various players also received recognition at the conference and national levels for their efforts in 2009. Mallory Meadows was selected as an NAIA 1^st Team All-American, GCAC All-Conference team member, made the GCAC All-Tournament team, made the NFCA All-Region and All-American First Team and was a three time GCAC Player of the Week selection. Britney Webb joined Meadows on the All-Conference team, on the NFCA All-Region Team, was an NFCA Second Team All-American and was chosen as a GCAC Player of the Week in 2009.

 

Heather Pace was also named to the GCAC All-Conference team, made the GCAC All-Tournament team, the NFCA All-Region Team and was once selected as the GCAC Player of the Week. Pace also became the first player in school history to be chosen as the NAIA National Player of the Week when she set the new national record for most RBI's in a game.

 

Tiffany Ansley earned an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention selection, and made the NFCA All-Region Team along with making the GCAC All-Conference and tournament teams. Salina Cervantes was twice named GCAC Pitcher of the Week and Ashley Mottola was chosen once for Pitcher of the Week honors in the GCAC. Mottola, Jessica Eggold, and Keresa Steichen rounded out the awards with spots on the GCAC Honor Roll.

 

“ I am very proud of this group for breaking the school record for wins and getting back to the GCAC Championship game after a year lapse,'' says Head Coach Rick Fremin. “I also feel that this team has raised the level of play for the program and that the future is bright”.