Box Score
Jackson, MS-Joe Patterson got his first start of the season for the Belhaven baseball team Wednesday night and made the most of it pitching six solid innings in a 6-2 victory over LSU-Alexandria. Patterson allowed only two runs on five hits while striking out five Generals on the night to go to 2-0 on the season. Belhaven improves to 16-10 on the year while LSUA drops to 11-11 in 2009.

 

The Blazers struck for a trio of runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-0 lead. Chanse Cooper led the inning off with a walk followed by Lake Eiland being hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second base. Timmy Foster then ripped a single to center bringing home Cooper while Eiland crossed home plate on a wild throw by center fielder Cody Laprarie on the relay back to the infield. Due to the throwing error, Foster made it to third base and came in on a sacrifice fly by Craig Westcott.

                                                    

Belhaven increased their advantage to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth scoring a pair of runs on two hits. Tyler Price came on in relief of LSUA starting pitcher Ryan Monceaux and hit catcher Brian McCormick with one out. Shortstop Shawn Diehl roped a single up the middle sending courtesy runner Chad Howard over to third. Howard crossed the plate on an RBI groundout by Cooper with Diehl going to second. Eiland came up with the innings second hit on a two out single to right field which plated Diehl.

 

The Generals avoided the shutout with a run in the top of the sixth, but for Belhaven it could have been worse. LSUA loaded the bases with nobody out but Patterson got James Howell to ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Josh Morales scored on the play, but Lapararie was caught off the bag rounding third and was tagged out for the final out of the inning keeping the score at 5-1 in favor of the Blazers.

 

The Generals picked up another run in the top of the seventh, but Belhaven came back to plate a single tally in the bottom of the inning. Timmy Foster began the home half of the seventh with a base hit and after reaching third base, was brought in on a squeeze bunt by Chad Howard pushing the lead to 6-2. Golden Grasse, who had come on to relieve Patterson in the seventh, blanked the Generals the rest of the way preserving the Blazer win while picking up his first save of the season.

 

Belhaven got offensive production up and down the line up Wednesday afternoon. Cooper, Eiland, Westcott, Foster, and Howard each had an RBI. Foster, Diehl and Dean contributed two hits each on the night.