JACKSON, Miss.-The Belhaven baseball team is excited about what the 2012 season has in store after a record breaking 2011 campaign. The Blazers completed the schedule with an overall record of 45-18 and for the third consecutive season made it to the championship game of the NAIA National Championship Opening Round tournament. Belhaven also enjoyed great success as a first year member of the Southern States Athletic Conference. The Blazers finished third in the SSAC West Division at 11-7, but heated up at the conference tournament and took home the SSAC Championship with a 4-1 record in tournament play.

Belhaven will have to replace some key senior players, in particular on offense, who put together outstanding seasons in 2011. The Blazers return the bulk of their pitching staff and the entire starting rotation from a year ago. In the field, Belhaven will have to replace infielder's Lake Eiland and Matt Discon along with outfielders Jimmy Gilford, Paul Moreno, and Drew Dillard. Belhaven will also have a new battery of catchers with Derek Tortorich and Alex Riser completing their senior seasons in 2011. Belhaven is very optimistic about the new players coming in to fill those spots and this year's recruiting class should bolster and add depth to an already solid pitching staff.

Belhaven enters the 2012 season ranked 15th in the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. The Southern States Athletic Conference will once again be regarded as one of the toughest conferences in the NAIA. The SSAC leads all conferences with five teams ranked in the top 25. Lee University and Faulkner University are both in the top 10 ranked third and eighth respectively. Auburn Montgomery is in the number 13 spot followed by Belhaven (15th) and Southern Polytechnic State University at number 21. Brewton-Parker College and Shorter each received votes in the preseason poll.

Infield
Belhaven will practically have a new infield in 2012 with the graduation of shortstop Lake Eiland, second baseman Matt Discon and third baseman Jordan Brewer. Ryan Saunders is the only returning starter on the infield and is penciled in as the starting first baseman. Saunders, a senior from B.C. Canada, ended the 2011 season with a .351 batting average and 57 total hits. Saunders also had five home runs to go along with 10 doubles, three triples and 37 runs batted in. Saunders also played outstanding defense, committing only three errors in 355 total chances which equated to a .992 fielding percentage.

One of the new players Belhaven is excited about is Bud Britt, who is the front runner for the third base job this season. Britt, who hails from Brookhaven, MS, is transferring in from Copiah-Lincoln Community College where he compiled a .407 batting average in 2011. He also led the team in hits (57), doubles (14), and was six for seven in stolen bases. Britt blasted three home runs, drove in 26 runs, and struck out only nine times in 140 at bats. Britt was named Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College (MACJC) All-State First Team this past year and was a Second Team selection in his freshman season. “Bud is a big hitter, that will hopefully fill a spot in the middle of our lineup,” says Belhaven Head Coach Hill Denson. “He led Copiah-Lincoln in hitting last year, so he will be a great addition to our offense.”

At shortstop, newcomers Hamilton Harper and Ryne Cook are competing for the starting position vacated by Eiland. Cook, an infielder from Willard, MO, comes to Belhaven from Three Rivers Community College where he hit .301 with eight stolen bases as the Raiders shortstop. “Ryne is a big time defender with a great glove and a good arm,” says Denson. He is a great guy with a lot of leadership ability.”

Harper, who hails from Clermont, GA, prepped at North Hall High School where he batted .375 with seven home runs, nine doubles, 11 stolen bases, and a school record 43 runs scored. Harper was also a 2011 First Team All Region and Area Honorable Mention selection. “We are really excited to have Hamilton join our club,” says Denson. “He is a very good athlete, with a lot of baseball skills, and has a lot of baseball knowledge. If he comes in and does what he is supposed to, he will contribute early for us and hopefully have a great future with our program.”

Jason Hicks appears to be the favorite to take over at second base. Hicks, a native of Brandon, MS, is transferring into the program after spending last season at NCAA Division I University of Louisiana-Monroe. Hicks played in 35 games and started 24 last season at ULM where he hit at a .255 clip. He began his collegiate career in 2009 at Hinds Community College and compiled a .353 batting average with eight home runs, 14 doubles, and swiped 15 bases in 18 attempts. Hicks redshirted during the 2010 season due to an injury. Hicks prepped at Brandon High School and was selected to play in the Mississippi High School All-Star Game.

“Jason can play almost any position on the field,” says Denson. “He was a high school shortstop and has spent time in college at third, second, and in the outfield. He can really hit and we need a big hitter to fill some spots in the middle of our order.”

Emilio DeSilva is another incoming freshman who could factor into the equation on the infield in 2012. DeSilva, a native of Plantation, FL, prepped at Calvary Christian Academy where he hit .455 with two home runs, nine doubles, drove in 14 runs, and was 7 for 9 in stolen base attempts. “Emilio is a solid player that can play a lot of positions,” says Coach Denson. “He can really hit and will hopefully contribute early for us.”

Clay Bonds is the leading candidate to take over behind the dish in 2012. Bonds, who is from Pensacola, FL, spent three seasons as the starting catcher at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort prior to signing with Belhaven for the upcoming season. Bonds owns a career batting average of .291 with 14 doubles, three home runs, and 47 runs batted in. “Clay has a lot of experience as a catcher in the NAIA and in a very good conference,” says Denson. “He has a lot of leadership qualities and will fit right in with our club.”

Outfield
Belhaven brings back two key outfielders from last season with Tyler Wrinkle and Anthony Doss returning to the club for the 2012 campaign. Doss, a senior from Brandon, MS, posted a .363 batting average and had 57 hits in 157 at bats in 2011. Doss accumulated nine doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 31 runs batted in. Doss came on strong at the end of the season and was major factor in Belhaven's postseason run. Doss was named to the SSAC All-West Division team and was used mainly as a DH, but this season he'll see a lot of action in the outfield.

Wrinkle, a senior outfielder from Lebanon, MS hit at a .343 clip and was third on the team in total hits with 70. Wrinkle notched 18 doubles, had two triples, and shared the team lead in home runs with five. Wrinkle drove home 41 runs and led the team in stolen bases with 13.

Newcomers Chad Wardlaw and Joshua Bouldin will be competing for playing time and a starting position in the outfield. Wardlaw comes to Belhaven as a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College. Wardlaw, a native of Olive Branch, MS, recorded a .359 batting average with four doubles, two triples, one home run, and swiped 21 bases in 23 attempts in 2011. He was also a First Team All-State and All-Region selection along with being a Team Captain in 2011. “Chad is a very good outfielder that can really, really run,” says Denson. “He is a left handed hitter that can do a lot of things with the bat and we are really excited to have him join us next year.”

Bouldin, a native of Madison, MS, is transferring to Belhaven after spending the past two seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College where he compiled a batting average of over .310. Prior to going to Southwest, Bouldin was a member of the 2009 Madison Central High School team that won the Mississippi State Championship. “Josh is a good athlete that will give us some depth in the outfield, says Denson. “He can run and has the ability to steal a lot of bases for us.”

Pitching
Belhaven's pitching staff has the potential to be one of the best in program history with the talent and depth on the club this season. Depth is a major factor when it comes to success throughout the year and especially in postseason play. Belhaven has the starting rotation back from last year along with closer Josh Clarke and setup man Jon Patino at the back end of the bullpen. Last year's starters were Allen Johnson, Brett Blaise, Brandon McHenry and Alan McHenry.

Johnson, a senior from Lena, MS, was 6-4 with a 2.78 ERA in 2011. In 107 innings, Johnson had 74 strikeouts and held opposing hitters to a .237 batting average. Blaise joined Doss on the SSAC All-Division team in 2011. Blaise, a senior who hails from Columbus, MS, owned an 8-1 record with an ERA of 3.84 in 2011. Blaise had a pair of complete games and worked 68 total innings on the hill with 64 strikeouts. Brandon McHenry, a senior from Madison, MS, continued to get stronger as the year went on and made some key starts for Belhaven in the postseason. McHenry finished the season with a 6-1 record and had an ERA of 4.02. He struck out 49 in 65 innings of work. Alan McHenry, a senior from Ontario, Canada, was member of the Belhaven starting rotation and posted a 6-3 record with a 4.48 ERA and also helped contribute to the success the Blazers had in 2011.

Clarke, a senior from Clinton, MS, anchored the back end of the bullpen recording 10 saves while boasting a 4-2 record in 2011. Clarke had an ERA of 2.12 and in 34 innings of work struck out 46 opposing hitters. He was named to the SSAC All-Conference team for his efforts out of the pen in 2011. Patino, a senior from Frederick, MD, was 4-2 in relief with a 1.70 ERA. In 42.1 innings, he struck out 40 and walked only nine.

Belhaven's big signees during the offseason are three transfers from the University of Southern Mississippi. Geoffrey Thomas, Jonathan Thompson, and Matthew Shaw should all be big contributors to the club this season. Thomas, a native of Stone Mountain, GA, went 10-3 with a 3.09 ERA while striking out 54 in 84 innings of work. He held opponents to a .241 batting average and was a First Team All-Conference USA selection during the 2011 season. Thomas also participated in the inaugural MLB Breakthrough Series in Compton, CA, was selected to the MLB Urban Academy All-Star Team, and was drafted in the 12th round of the 2009 MLB June Draft by the Houston Astros.

Thompson, a native of Denham Springs, LA, went 7-1 for the Golden Eagles in 2011 while posting a 3.49 ERA. Thompson struck out 43 opposing hitters in 69 innings of work and held opponents to a .273 batting average. “We are very excited to get Geoffrey and Jonathan to Belhaven”, says Denson. “Between the two of them, they were 17-4 last year in Conference USA, so obviously they will be a great addition to a very good pitching staff.”

Shaw, who hails from Oxford, MS, comes to Belhaven as a transfer from the University of Southern Mississippi as well. Shaw also pitched at Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 at NWCC, Shaw went 6-4 with an ERA of 5.10, tossed 54.2 innings and recorded 49 strikeouts. “Matt will be a big addition to our pitching staff,” says Denson. “He can fill a role as a starter or reliever, has a good fastball and a breaking ball that can be dominant at times.”

Overview
Belhaven Head Coach Hill Denson and the Blazers are anxious to get the season underway and see the 2012 club in action. “The strength of the team this season is the overall depth that we have on the team,” says Denson. “We have always had talented players, but we probably have more depth than we ever have on the mound and in the field this year. The biggest key for us this season will be taking advantage of the depth we have in our pitching staff. In order to make a solid run through our 55 game schedule and conference and opening round tournaments to make it back to the NAIA World Series; we have to have solid pitching. On offense, the key for us will be to replace the offensive production from guys like Gilford and Eiland. However, we believe that we brought in some outstanding players who will be able to put up some big offensive numbers for us this season.”

The schedule for 2012 will feature some outstanding non-conference opponents along with familiar SSAC rivals. There are a number of key non-conference games on the 2012 slate including a three game tilts with Blue Mountain College and LSU-Alexandria. Belhaven will also face perennial NAIA power Cumberland University and other familiar non-conference opponents Bethel University (TN), Union University (TN), and Tougaloo College (MS). The Cowboy Maloney Series between Belhaven, Millsaps, and Mississippi College will be contested again in 2012 with the Blazers playing Millsaps and Mississippi College three times each.

The run for the SSAC West Division crown will be a battle from start to finish. Belhaven, Faulkner, and Auburn University-Montgomery are all ranked or receiving votes in the top 25 poll. William Carey University and the University of Mobile will also be in the mix while Spring Hill College and Loyola University could each make a strong push as well. The Blazers will meet up with each of the West Division teams for one three game series and will play cross over three game series with Truett-McConnell College, Emmanuel College, Lee University, and Shorter University.

Belhaven's regular season opener will be against Blue Mountain on January 27th at Smith Wills Stadium. Game one of the three game series is slated for 3:00 PM.