Box Score
Jackson, MS-For the second consecutive game, the Belhaven baseball team pulled out a ninth inning win taking a 3-2 decision over William Carey University in game one of a three game Southern States Athletic Conference West Division Series Friday night at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers, ranked 25th in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, scored the winning run on an error by Crusader first baseman Carlos Castro. Belhaven defeated Mississippi College 8-7 on Tuesday scoring twice in the ninth inning to take secure that victory.

Belhaven (38-14, 10-6 SSAC) struck for the first run of the night in the bottom of the first when Jimmy Gilford launched his third home run year over the right center field wall to make it a 1-0 contest. William Carey (25-22, 6-10 SSAC) tied the game at 1-1 when they got on the board in the top of the third inning. Michael Lindsey and Will White had back to back singles to start the frame and then Daniel Covert laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third with out. Jordan Prout hit a slow ground ball to third base which cashed in Lindsey for the score.

Neither team plated a run again until the sixth when the Blazers added a solo run to pull back in front 2-1. Jordan Brewer led off with a bunt single and on an attempt to throw him out; Crusader catcher Quin Stokes fired the ball down the right field line allowing Brewer to make it all the way to third. Following a ground out to third by Gilford, Lake Eiland drove in the run by grounding out to the shortstop Ronnie Camacho.

It didn't take long for the Crusaders to pull even as they responded with a run in the top of the seventh. Jared Rogers got things going with single to center, Lindsey moved him to second with a sac bunt, and White chased him home with a single up the middle knotting the contest at 2-2. In the ninth, William Carey threatened to take the lead for the first time as Camacho and Rogers both singled off Belhaven relief pitcher Sean Kelly. Matt Discon, Eiland, and Ryan Saunders then made the biggest defensive play of the night as the trio recorded a 4-6-3 double play for the first two outs. Eiland then threw out White to end the inning stranding the go ahead run at third base.

In the bottom of the ninth, Belhaven would take advantage of two more Crusader errors. Eiland singled to lead off and then Anthony Doss reached on a misplayed ground ball second baseman Jordan Prout that potentially could have been William Carey's fourth double play of the night. Taylor Martin came in from the bullpen to relieve starter Scotty Reese and struck out Tom Wertz and Saunders. However, the third strike to Saunders ended up being a wild pitch that moved Eiland to third and Doss to second. Discon followed by hitting a ground ball to Camacho at short, but his throw that would have ended the inning popped in and out the glove of Castro allowing Eiland to score the winning run.

Belhaven was led at the plate by Eiland and Brewer who each had two hits. Eiland also had an RBI and a run scored. Gilford was 1 for 4 with the home run while Paul Moreno and Saunders each had base hits. The only extra base hit of the night for either team was Gilford's home run in the first. The Blazers were limited to seven hits as a team and committed one error.

Kelly earned the win in relief as he tossed one inning allowing two hits without giving up a run to go to 2-0. Johnson started for the Blazers and pitched eight innings permitting two runs on seven hits. Johnson did not walk or hit a batter while striking out four to get the no decision.

William Carey was paced by Camacho and Rogers with two hits each while Will White had a pair of hits and an RBI. Stokes, Lindsey, and Javier Ortiz all contributed one hit in the game. The Crusaders outhit Belhaven Friday night 9-7. Reese suffered the loss on the hill for William Carey firing eight plus innings allowing three runs on seven hits. Two of the three runs were unearned due to three Crusader errors. Reese also did not walk or hit a batter while striking out four Blazer hitters in the loss that drops his record to 4-5. Martin tossed 0.2 innings in relief and did not surrender a run or a hit.

Belhaven will be back in action on Saturday against William Carey as they conclude the SSAC series and regular season with a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM. With Friday night's win, Belhaven has locked up at least the third seed in the west division and trail Faulkner by two games for second place with two to play. Faulkner defeated the University of Mobile Friday night 9-2 as William Carey maintains a one game lead over the Rams for the fourth and final conference tournament spot. Fans can catch all the live play-by-play action through live audio and stats courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here.