Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
Franklin Springs, GA-The Belhaven baseball team split a Southern States Athletic Conference cross divisional doubleheader at Emmanuel College on Friday afternoon to open a three game series. The Blazers, ranked 24th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, lost game one 2-1, but came back to capture a 7-5 win in the second game. The doubleheader in the series was moved from Saturday to Friday due to inclement weather.

Game One
Belhaven (35-14) shot in front in game one with a run in the top of the third inning. With one out, Drew Dillard doubled down the left field line and then scored on Jordan Brewer's triple to right center field to make it a 1-0 game. However, it would be the only run the Blazers would score in game one. Emmanuel (24-24) plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth and they would make them stand up for the rest of the contest. Belhaven pitcher Allen Johnson hit Chase Harris with the bases loaded and then Chris Reynolds collected an infield single to plate the second run of the inning for the Lions.

Dillard led Belhaven at the plate going 3 for 3 with two doubles and a run scored. Brewer had a triple and an RBI while Derek Tortorich and Jimmy Gilford both had base hits. Allen Johnson suffered the loss as his record on the mound fell to 4-4 in 2011. Johnson tossed six innings allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and five strikeouts. One of the two runs was unearned due to an error in the fourth inning.

Michael Granda led Emmanuel at the plate going 2 for 3 with a run scored. Reynolds had one hit and an RBI while Harris picked up the only other RBI in the contest for the Lions. Mark Shevock pitched a seven inning complete game giving up just the one run on six hits. Shevock struck out five Blazer hitters and improved his pitching record to 6-2 this season.

Game Two
Belhaven took an early lead in game two recording a run in the top of the first frame with one out. Gilford walked to lead off the inning and with one out stole second base setting the table for Doss who drove him in with a base hit up the middle. The Lions tied it in the bottom of the inning on an error by Saunders at first base which would have resulted in the final out. Will Gretsch hit a ground ball to Lake Eiland at short, but Saunders had the throw from Eiland go in and out of his glove opening the door for Eric Esquilin to score.

The Blazers recaptured the advantage in the third inning on another RBI single by Doss and a sacrifice fly by Tortorich to make it a 3-1 game. Emmanuel countered with a run in the bottom of the third on a Reynolds sacrifice fly to bring the Lions within one at 3-2. It could have been worse as Brett Blaise gave up four hits in the inning, but Stephen Robinson was thrown out trying to steal second which proved to be a big play saving at least another run. Emmanuel took the lead in the fifth on a JoJo Bonet RBI double and then Gilford had a line drive off the bat of Ben Grillo go in and out of his glove permitting Bonet to cross the plate.

Trailing 5-4 heading into the top of the seventh, Belhaven rallied to regain the lead scoring twice with two outs. Doss led off the inning with a double, but Tortorich grounded out to third and Paul Moreno struck out for the second out. Doss eventually made it to third base on a wild pitch as Tom Wertz headed to the dish. Wertz then came through with a clutch RBI double down the left field line and then Saunders cashed him in with a run scoring double to right center field to pushing the Blazers back in front 5-4.

The edge would not last long as the Lions tied it up again on an RBI ground out by Gretsch in the bottom of the seventh. The Blazers were finally able to grab the lead for good in the eighth with a pair of unearned runs off relief pitcher Jason Pannell. Brewer struck out to begin the eighth, but Gilford was able to reach second on an error by shortstop Alex Delgado. Doss put the Blazers in front with a single to right field and then Moreno provided an insurance run on an RBI fielder's choice. Josh Clarke shutdown the Lions bats in the ninth to preserve the win.

Doss had a perfect afternoon at the dish going 4 for 4 with a double and three runs batted in. Brewer had three more hits followed by Saunders who had two hits and a run batted in. Wertz was one for two with an RBI and Gilford had a base hit with three runs scored. Eiland and Dillard both had one hit in the contest while Moreno and Tortorich did not have hits, but each had an RBI. As a team, the Blazers had 13 hits including four doubles as Eiland, Doss, Wertz, and Saunders each had two baggers.

Blaise started the game on the mound for Belhaven and pitched the first 4.2 innings allowing four runs on eight hits. Blaise walked one and struck out four and had a no decision. Jon Patino gave up one unearned run in two innings of work and Sean Kelly would eventually get the win in relief logging 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball. Kelly did not allow a hit and struck out two as he goes to 1-0 this season. Clarke picked up his ninth save pitching the ninth inning without giving up a run or a hit while striking out one.

Bonet was 2 for 4 with an RBI for Emmanuel in the second game and Delgado had two hits and two runs scored. Harris was 2 for 4 and Gretsch had a hit and one run batted in. Kasey Hudgins started and worked five innings for the Lions allowing three runs on seven hits. Bradley Freeland pitched 1.2 innings and was charged with two runs on five hits. Pannell ended up taking the loss firing one inning on the hill. Pannell gave up two unearned runs on one hit with two walks and one strikeout dropping his record to 0-2 this season.

Belhaven will be back in action on Saturday at Emmanuel in the series finale starting at 12:00 PM CDT. Fans can follow all the live play-by-play action through live audio courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here.