Box Score
Oklahoma City, OK-The Belhaven baseball team defeated Fresno Pacific University 10-9 in 10 innings Thursday afternoon in game one of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round in Oklahoma City. The Blazers, ranked 20th in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll, rallied with nine runs in the final four innings to pull out the win. Belhaven is now 44-16 which ties a school record for most wins in a season.

Trailing 2-1 going into the seventh, Belhaven scored three runs to take a 4-2 lead which was their first advantage of the contest. Paul Moreno gave the Blazers their first lead with a two run single to left field that plated Ryan Saunders and Matt Discon who had reached base in front of him. For Moreno, it was his second and third RBI of the game after having put Belhaven on the board in the top of the fifth. Jimmy Gilford capped the seventh by singling home Moreno.

Fresno Pacific (30-20) answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame thanks to an RBI double by Karlan Andrews. Belhaven tacked on two more runs in the eighth on a two run single by Saunders to build a 6-3 edge. However, it did not last long as the Sunbirds recaptured the lead at 7-6 on a grand slam by Tyler Pryor sending the game to the ninth needing only three outs to secure the win.

Belhaven fought back in the ninth and scored three times to pull in front again 9-7 on RBI singles by Jimmy Gilford and Lake Eiland. Derek Tortorich sent in the third run on a sacrifice fly to right field. Fresno Pacific would not go quietly tying the game at 9-9 with two outs in their half of the ninth. Scott Laird induced a walk to keep the inning alive and scored on an RBI double by David Hawes. Pryor then collected his fifth RBI of the afternoon on a base hit to knot the score.

The Blazers ended up plating the game winning run on an infield single by Jimmy Gilford in the top of the 10th and relief pitcher Sean Kelly held off the Sunbirds to close out the game and get the win. Fresno Pacific made things interest again in the 10th putting the tying run at second with two outs. Kelly eventually got Laird to fly out to right to seal the win for Belhaven.

Belhaven was led at the plate by Gilford who went 3 for 6 with three runs batted in. Moreno had two hits with 3 RBI's as well to go along with two runs scored. Ryan Saunders came up with two hits and 2 RBI's while Eiland notched two hits and one run batted in. Matt Discon scored a pair of runs and produced two clutch hits in four plate appearances. As a team, Belhaven had 14 hits and did not commit and error. Kelly earned the win on the mound as he tossed 1.1 innings which improves his record to 3-0. Kelly allowed two hits, but did not surrender any runs. Allen Johnson started for Belhaven and went 6.2 innings allowing three runs on six hits with a walk and one strikeout.

Pryor led Fresno Pacific going 3 for 5 with five runs batted followed by Trent Soares, Wes Dorrell, and Karlan Andrews who each had a pair of hits and two runs batted in. Greg Kilgore suffered the loss in relief pitching 0.2 innings allowing one run without giving up a hit. He had two costly walks which led to the winning run. Matt Mazzoni got the start for the Sunbirds and was perfect through the first four innings before allowing his first run in the fifth. Mazzoni went 6.1 innings and gave up a total of three runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Belhaven will be back in action Friday afternoon at 2:30 against Oklahoma City University in round two of the tournament. The Stars knocked off Doane College 10-5 on Thursday night to setup Friday's contest with the Blazers. Fans can follow all the play-by-play action through live audio courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here. Fresno Pacific will meet up with the University of Texas-Brownsville in an elimination game at 11:00 AM.