Box Score
Jackson, MS-It was the opening game of the Cowboy Maloney Series and it was also the end of Belhaven's three game losing streak as the Blazer baseball team topped Mississippi College Tuesday night at Smith Wills stadium 9-5. Belhaven improves to 7-4 overall while the Choctaws open the 2009 season 0-1.

                                                                                      

Mississippi College struck first in the top of the first inning for three runs off of Belhaven starter Brandt Hinton. Center fielder Chase Herrin grounded out to short on the games first pitch. However, Andy Smith then stepped to the plate and picked up an infield single to set up a Brannon Walls 2 run homer over the center field fence to make it 2-0 Choctaws. Mississippi College then tacked on another run when Bo Bell reached on an error by Shawn Diehl and came around to score on a base hit by Jacan Warren making the score 3-0.

 

Belhaven battled back in the bottom of the first by sending two runners across the plate. Chanse Cooper was hit by a pitch and then got his sixth stolen base of the year to get into scoring position. Lake Eiland then reached on a walk and just like that there were two men on with nobody out. Choctaw pitcher Wesley Williams settled down and got Timmy Foster to foul out and then Craig Westcott grounded out to short with Cooper advancing to third and Eiland to second. Craig Dean came through in the clutch though by shooting a two out single into left field bringing home Cooper and Eiland to pull Belhaven within one run at 3-2.

 

Belhaven really got the offense going in the bottom of the third inning taking a lead they would never relinquish. Foster led of the inning by blasting a 1-2 pitch over the center field fence to tie the score at 3-3. Westcott followed with a double to deep center and Brent Hudson singled to left to put runners on first and third. That set the stage for a game changing hit off the bat of Dean, who launched a three run homer over the left field wall giving the Blazers a 6-3 lead.

 

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth when Belhaven added three more runs. Westcott started the inning off with a walk followed by Hudson who flew out to right center field. Westcott moved to second on a wild pitch by Reed Prewitt and then Dean drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Westcott and Dean both moved up a base on a passed ball by catcher Jacob Daniel setting up a sacrifice fly by Charlie Edwards to drive home Westcott and a double by Brian McCormick which brought in Dean. McCormick scored the third run of the inning on a base hit by Shawn Diehl to center expanding the Blazers lead to 9-3.

 

Mississippi College came back to get a couple of runs in the top of the seventh off of Hinton who had settled in a pitched a great game after giving up the three first inning runs. The Choctaws got their runs on a sacrifice fly by Herrin and a Walls single. Joe Patterson came in and worked a scoreless eighth and closer Kyle Medley kept the Choctaws off the board in the ninth to secure the 9-5 victory.

 

Brandt Hinton made 105 pitches allowing four earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of work to earn his second victory of the season for the Blazers. Craig Dean led the offense going 2 for 2 at the plate with two walks, a three run home run and three RBI's. Chanse Cooper collected three hits in four at bats while Shawn Diehl and Brent Hudson recorded two hits a piece.

 

Brannon Walls led the Choctaws going 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBI's. Wesley Williams took the loss on the mound giving up six runs in two innings.