Box Score
Jackson, MS-It was a record tying day at Freedom Ridge Park on Wednesday afternoon as the Belhaven softball team upended NCAA Division I Jackson State University by a final of 10-1. The Lady Blazers now stand at 33-14 overall which ties a school record for most wins in a season. Belhaven won 33 games back in 2006 when the team finished the year with a 33-22 record. The loss for Jackson State drops the Lady Tigers to 18-20 in 2009.

 

Belhaven jumped out in front with a run in the bottom of the first inning after Salina Cervantes set the Lady Tigers down in order in the top half of the frame. The Lady Blazers loaded the bases on a walk and a couple of Jackson State errors setting the stage for an RBI single by Tiffany Ansley to center field to make it 1-0 Belhaven.

 

The Lady Blazers rallied for five runs on three hits in the bottom of the second to extend the advantage to 6-0. All the Belhaven runs in the inning came across the plate after two outs were recorded. Britanee Pace walked with one out and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kayla Maldonado. Britney Webb then stepped to the dish and drove a triple into the right center field gap plating Pace from second.

 

Jessica Eggold then drew a free pass to put runners on the corners for Heather Pace. Pace came through with a double down the left field line as Eggold and Webb both raced home and at that point the Lady Blazers were up 4-0. A wild pitch by Jackson State starter Tyetta Sims allowed Pace to go to third and Meadows induced another walk and stole second base to put two more runners into scoring position. The stolen base proved to be key as Ansley laced another base hit to right center chasing home both Pace and Meadows for the games fifth and sixth runs.

 

Neither side scored again until the fourth when the Lady Blazers put the game away with four more runs. Heather Pace singled to center and Meadows doubled to begin the bottom of the fourth against relief pitcher Brittanie Talley. Pace was cut down at the plate on a fielder's choice off the bat of Ansley and with one out Belhaven had runners on first and second. Cervantes loaded the bases on a single through the left side of the infield and Chelsea Randle's infield hit sent home Meadows for the innings first run.

 

Britanee Pace then picked up an RBI with a fielder's choice and Maldonado worked a walk to load the bases again with two outs. Webb was due up next and smashed a double to left center to bring home Randle and Pace and when the dust had settled the Lady Blazers owned a commanding 10-0 lead going into the top of the fifth.

 

Ashley Mottola came in to pitch the fifth and held Jackson State to just one run and thus put the run rule into effect to end the contest with the 10-1 score. Cervantes pitched the first four innings and kept the Lady Tigers off the board surrendering only three hits in route to the win and a 16-7 record on the season. Sims was charged with 6 of the 10 runs for Jackson State in two innings of work as she takes the loss and falls to 5-6 in 2009.

 

Webb and Ansley both had big games at the plate for Belhaven by each driving in three runs on the afternoon. They also collected two hits along with Heather Pace and Randle who each added two hits apiece. Heather Pace recorded two RBI's while Randle and Britanee Pace each had an RBI in Wednesday's game against Jackson State.