Box Score
Jackson, TN-The Belhaven baseball team plated eight runs through the first four innings of play and never looked back as they pulled away for an 11-3 victory at Lambuth University Tuesday afternoon. The Blazers also reached the 20 win mark improving to 20-10 on the season and it was also their fifth win in a row. The Eagles fall to 18-7 after the loss to Belhaven.

 

The Blazers got their first run of the game in the top of the first as Chanse Cooper led off the game by reaching safely on an error. With one out in the first, Cooper got a good jump off of first and stole second for his 19^th steal of the year. Craig Westcott then delivered a two out single to center to put the Belhaven on top 1-0.

 

Blazer starting pitcher Joe Patterson shut down Lambuth in the bottom of the first and the offense came through with more run support in the top of the second. Charlie Edwards kicked off the inning with his fourth home run of the season drilling the first pitch he saw over the left field fence. Craig Dean then doubled and Brian McCormick singled to left putting runners on first and third. Courtesy runner Chad Howard swiped second and Diehl shot a single to right field plating Dean and Howard to extend the Blazer lead to 4-0.

 

Belhaven put up another three spot in the third on three more base hits. Timmy Foster was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and Westcott followed with a double deep into the left field corner moving Foster to third base. Brent Hudson wrapped a two run single to center and scored on a two out double by McCormick and just like that the Blazers found themselves up 7-0.

 

Belhaven tacked on another run in the top of the fourth after two men were out. Lake Eiland reached on a walk and Foster singled to shallow left field to put runners on first and second. Westcott hit a fly ball to left center for the second out and then Hudson followed with a clutch single to left to drive in Eiland for the games eighth run. Lambuth closed out the fourth inning getting their first run of the game off of Patterson and through four frames Belhaven led 8-1.

 

Neither team would score over the next four innings as Eagle relief pitcher Zachary Hurt held the Blazer offense in check while Patterson and Chris Bennett continued to keep the Lambuth batters off balance. Belhaven added three more insurance runs in the top of the ninth thanks to Dean's third home run of the season which was a three run shot over the left field wall. The Eagles tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the ninth by bringing in a pair of runs, but Bennett was able to shut the door to lock down the 11-3 win.

 

Offensively, the Belhaven offense was led by Hudson and Dean who each had two hits and 3 RBI's. Diehl collected 2 RBI's while Westcott, Edwards, and McCormick added an RBI and two hits apiece.

 

Patterson worked the first five innings on the mound for the Blazers allowing one run on four hits. Patterson struck out three and gave up only one walk in route to his third win and a perfect 3-0 record in 2009. Bennett pitched the final four innings for his first save and was charged with two runs on one hit. Turner Cripps took the loss for Lambuth as he was charged with seven of the eleven runs.