Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
Mobile, AL-The Belhaven baseball team split the final two games of a three game Southern States Athletic Conference West Division Series at Spring Hill College on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers, ranked 23rd in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, took game one of the day 11-6 and appeared to be headed for a sweep leading 6-2 going into the eighth inning of game two. However, the Badgers roared back to score three in the eighth and ninth innings to take home an 8-7 victory. Belhaven won two out of three in the series thanks to a 6-3 win in the opener on Friday night.

Game One
Belhaven (32-12, 9-6 SSAC) surged in front in game one with four runs in the top of the fourth inning on RBI singles by Anthony Doss and Jordan Brewer. Derek Tortorich ripped an RBI double down the left field line and Paul Moreno drove in another run with a ground out to second base. Spring Hill (13-28, 2-10 SSAC) bounced back in the bottom of the first with three runs to get back into the contest. Fred Rossi had a sacrifice fly followed by run scoring singles off the bats of Kendell Carvin and Joe Carter.

Belhaven responded with a run in the top of the second on Ryan Saunders third home run of the year which cleared the wall in right to make it a 5-3 game. The Blazers went up 6-3 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Wrinkle, but Belhaven gave the run back in the bottom of the fourth when Badger pinch runner Matt Fuentes scored on wild pitch by Brett Blaise.

Belhaven then established a more comfortable edge in the sixth inning scoring five times and in the process extend the lead to 11-4. Saunders doubled home a run with a shot down the right field line, Gilford drew a bases loaded walk, and Lake Eiland was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. With two outs, Tortorich capped the inning with a two run single to right field that chased in Gilford and Wrinkle. Spring Hill scraped together two runs in the sixth on a Brian Sims base hit, but that would be the extent of the scoring in game one as Belhaven prevailed 11-6.

Belhaven was led by Tortorich who went 2 for 4 including a double and three runs batted in. Saunders was 3 for 3 with 2 RBI's which came on the home run and the double. Eiland chipped in with three hits and an RBI followed by Gilford who had two hits and one run batted in. Wrinkle and Brewer also had a hit and run batted in apiece.

Brett Blaise (6-1) started the game for the Blazers on the mound and pitched five innings allowing four runs on seven hits to pick up the win. Only one of the runs was earned due to a passed ball on a strikeout. Blaise ended up striking out four batters and did not issue any walks. Jon Patino closed the game for Belhaven firing the final two innings giving up two unearned runs on two hits.

Spring Hill had four players with two hits each led by Sims who also had two runs batted in. Rossi, Carter, and Carvin all had two hits and one RBI in game one of the day. Carter (3-6) pitched the first five innings and was tagged with the loss allowing nine of the 11 runs on 11 hits.

Game Two
Belhaven put two runs on the board in the third inning on a double by Eiland that found its way down the left field line. Spring Hill quickly responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to knot the game at 2-2. Brad Holstein singled to left field to pick up an RBI and Carvin dropped a base hit into right field for the second RBI of the frame.

The game remained deadlocked at 2-2 until the sixth when the Blazers broke through for three runs. Brewer singled in Matt Discon for the first run of the inning and then with two outs Eiland pounded another two run double off relief pitcher Tyler Hutson to make the score 5-2. In the seventh, Belhaven scored their sixth run on an RBI double by Saunders and at that point it seemed like the Blazers had taken control of the game.

However, the Badgers clawed back with three runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it a one run game at 6-5. Golden Grasse gave up a single and a walk to begin the inning and then Josh Clarke was summoned from the bullpen. Brian Traina reached on an error to load the bases and then Clarke balked in the first run of the inning. Brooks Bobinger followed with an RBI single to right field and then Traina would later score on an error by Brewer at third. Clarke got Jeff Fennell to hit a soft line drive to second base and Carvin hit into a force play at second to end the inning.

Belhaven added a run in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Drew Dillard to make it 7-5, but unfortunately it wouldn't be enough for the win. Clarke struck out Carter to begin the ninth and gave up a single to Alex Summers to bring the tying run to the plate. Discon then committed a costly fielding error permitting Traina to reach base with one down. Clarke struck out the next hitter Bobinger, but then walked Sims to load the bases. Chris Foglia came through with a clutch two run single to tie the game and then pinch hitter Robert Boudreaxu lined the game winner into left center giving the Badgers an 8-7 come from behind win.

Eiland paced Belhaven at the plate in game two with two doubles and four runs batted in. Tortorich had two more hits while Dillard, Saunders, and Brewer all had one hit and one run batted in.

Alan McHenry started and pitched the first three innings allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and one strikeout. Sean Kelly pitched four innings and kept the Badgers off the board when he was in the game. Grasse faced two batters and was charged with two runs and Clarke (4-2) suffered the loss tossing 1.2 innings permitting four runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. All four of the runs given to Clarke were unearned due to errors.

Foglia had a hit and 2 RBI's for Spring Hill followed by Carvin who had two hits and one RBI. Holstein, Bobinger, and Boudreaux had a hit and an RBI each. Stephen Herrington started the game for Spring Hill and pitched 5.1 innings giving up three runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts. Hutson was charged with two runs in one third of a frame, Lawrence Trunk pitched 2.1 innings giving up one run, and James Maughn (4-3) earned the win in relief pitching one inning allowing one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout.

Belhaven will be back in action on Tuesday when they head to Millsaps College for a Maloney Series doubleheader starting at 4:00 PM. Fans can follow all the play-by-play action through live audio courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here.