Box Score vs. McKendree    Box Score vs. Cumberland
Jackson, MS-The Belhaven baseball team split two games on day two of the Belhaven University Invitational Saturday afternoon at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers, ranked 12th in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll defeated McKendree University for the second straight day 7-2, but fell to top ranked Cumberland 4-2 in the final game of the tournament.

Belhaven vs. McKendree
Belhaven (7-2) and McKendree played scoreless baseball through the first two and half innings before the Blazers finally got things going at the plate in the bottom of the third. Bearcat starting pitcher Josh Rathmann had two outs with Matt Discon standing on second after a double earlier in the inning and was one out away from getting out of the mini jam. However, shortstop Lake Eiland came through with a clutch two out double down the left field line that plated Discon. The Blazers strung four more hits together and when the dust had settled Belhaven owned a 6-0 lead. Paul Moreno and Tyler Wrinkle each had RBI singles and Jordan Brewer delivered the knockout punch on a three run homer to left field.

McKendree (2-6) picked up a run in the fourth on an RBI double by Brad Dunnigan and then added another score in the top of the sixth on a Patrick Thole single to center field. The Blazers tacked on their seventh run in the bottom of the fourth on a Jimmy Gilford triple that chased home courtesy runner Justin Hill. Catcher Alex Riser ripped a double to begin the inning to set up the run.

Belhaven pounded out 12 hits with six of them going for extra bases. The Blazers had four doubles as Discon, Brayden Dykes, Eiland, and Riser all picked up two baggers. Gilford ripped a triple and Brewer blasted his first home run of the season going 1 for 2 at the plate with three runs batted in. Drew Dillard had a couple of singles and Wrinkle went 2 for 2 in the game with an RBI while Gilford was also credited with two hits.

Alan McHenry started his second game on the mound and earned his third victory pitching six innings with only two runs allowed. McHenry scattered eight hits and struck out four Bearcats while only walking one. Jon Patino made his Belhaven debut pitching a scoreless seventh frame in which he registered two strikeouts.

Brandyn Snider had three hits for McKendree while Dunnigan and Thole collected a hit and an RBI apiece. Rathmann was tagged with the loss surrendering six runs on eight hits in his three innings on the mound. Jason Becker was charged with one run on two hits in an inning of relief work.

Belhaven vs. Cumberland
Game two of the day matched up top ranked and defending NAIA National Champion Cumberland with Belhaven at Smith-Wills Stadium. The game was dominated by solid pitching and defense by both teams. Unfortunately, the game essentially boiled down to two Allen Johnson pitches that left the yard and produced all four of Cumberland's runs.

The Bulldogs jumped in front first with two of the runs in the top of the third inning after two men were out. Johnson struck out T.J. Murphy and Antonio Butler grounded out to short for the second out. Tommy Winegardner kept the inning alive with a single to left center setting the table for Cory Farris's two run homer over the wall in right center making it a 2-0 game.

Belhaven answered quickly in the bottom of the third as Ryan Saunders launched his second home run of the season with a laser beam over the right field wall cutting the deficit to 2-1. Then with two outs, Wrinkle singled to left field, stole second base, and came in on a Gilford base hit to tie the score at 2-2.

The game stayed tied until the sixth when the duo of Winegardner and Farris struck again. This time Winegardner led the frame off with a base hit to left center and then Farris followed with another home run to right center putting Cumberland ahead for good 4-2. Johnson avoided further damage as he worked his way out of a jam with runners on the corners and nobody out later in the inning. He got David Fanshawe to foul out, Mike Mandarino was caught stealing, and Richie Seaton lined out to end the inning.

Belhaven let a golden opportunity to possibly tie the game go by the board in the eighth inning. Keith Kirby came in to relieve starting pitcher Aaron Wilkerson, who had worked the first seven innings, and promptly gave up a leadoff single to Saunders and then a double to Derek Tortorich putting Blazer runners on second and third with nobody out. However, Kirby would buckle down to strikeout out Wrinkle and Gilford followed by a pop out to the mound by Eiland. Kirby went on to strikeout the side in the ninth to earn the save and give Cumberland the win.

Saunders led Belhaven at the plate with two hits in three at bats including his home run in the third inning. Gilford had one hit and an RBI while Wrinkle, Brewer, and Tortorich had one hit each. The Blazers generated just six hits in the game and only two went for extra bases. Johnson was tagged with the loss working 6.1 innings in which he allowed all four runs on seven hits. Johnson walked one and struck out five as his record drops to 1-1 this season. Golden Grasse pitched a solid 1.2 innings with two strikeouts and Josh Clarke fired one scoreless and hitless inning while picking up a strikeout.

Cumberland (6-1) was led by Farris who went 2 for 4 with a pair of two run home runs off Johnson. Winegardner had two singles and two runs scored for the Bulldogs. Wilkerson was given the win as he went seven innings permitting only four hits and two runs while recording seven strikeouts. Kirby pitched two innings with five strikeouts as the two Bulldog hurlers combined to strikeout 12 Belhaven batters on Saturday afternoon.

Belhaven will take the field again on Tuesday night as Bethel University (TN) comes to town for another conference contest starting at 6:00 PM. The Blazers will also play Bethel on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 PM. Fans can follow the play-by-play action of both games through live audio and stats via Stretch Internet by clicking here.