Box Score
JACKSON, Miss.-The Belhaven baseball team edged Mississippi College Tuesday night 4-3 in a Maloney Series contest at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers, ranked 15th in the preseason NAIA Top 25 Poll, are now 1-1 in Maloney Series play this season.

Belhaven got on the board first with a pair of runs in the third inning off Mississippi College starting pitcher Zac Tucker. With one out, centerfielder Tyler Wrinkle legged out an infield single, stole second, and came home on a triple by left fielder Anthony Doss to make it 1-0. Third baseman Bud Britt chased home Doss on the first of two sacrifice flies for Britt in the game for the second run of the frame.

Mississippi College struck for a run in the top of the fifth on a two out Blaine Posey RBI double down the right field line that scored catcher Chad Wooten to make it a 2-1 game. Ryan Kassab, who made an emergency start on the mound and first appearance since 2010, recorded one of his eight strikeouts in the contest, fanning shortstop Josh Perez for the final out to keep it a 2-1 game.

In the seventh, the Choctaws evened things up at 2-2 when second baseman Jason Hicks threw wildly to first base trying to get Perez for the final out of the inning. Relief pitcher Matt Shaw induced a groundout from second baseman Daniel Wass to avoid further trouble in the inning.

The Blazers bounced back in the bottom of the seventh when right fielder Joshua Bouldin doubled to left center to lead off the inning. Wrinkle then walked and he and Bouldin executed a double steal to put runners on second and third. Two batters later, Britt fouled out down the right field line enabling Bouldin to score as he slid around the tag attempt by Wooten at home plate to make it 3-2 in favor of the Blazers.

Mississippi College answered in the top of the eight with a leadoff triple by third baseman Spencer Brunson. Brunson then scored on an RBI single by DH Mike Kerdock that drove Shaw from the game. Jon Patino then came in out of the bullpen and induced a fly out to right field by first baseman Brett Hightower that turned into a double play. Pinch runner J'Marcus Brooks went all the way past second base and Bouldin threw a strike to first to complete the double play. Following a walk to Wooten, Patino got left fielder A.C. Lowrance to fly out to right to end the inning and give the Blazer offense a chance to get back in front.

Belhaven's bats did just that with the help of a Choctaw error in the bottom of the eighth. Hicks double down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Relief pitcher Matt Frye came back to strikeout catcher Clay Bonds and DH Jaime Bruno keeping Hicks at third with two down. Brunson then made a costly error for the Choctaws, misplaying a ground ball at third off the bat of pinch hitter Kyler Weaver allowing Hicks to score what would be the winning run. Blazer closer Josh Clarke came in from the bullpen in the ninth and shut the door on the Choctaws for his fourth save of the season.

Belhaven (8-3) was led by Wrinkle who went 3 for 3 at the plate with a run scored and two stolen bases. Doss had an RBI triple and Britt picked up two runs batted in on a pair of sacrifice flies. Hicks added two more hits and a run scored in Tuesday's game. The Blazers produced three doubles, one triple and nine total hits against the Choctaws.

Kassab made the start on the hill and turned in six strong innings in his first appearance since 2010. He allowed only one run on four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in the no decision. Jon Patino earned his second win of the season in relief and Josh Clarke notched his fourth save of 2012 with a scoreless ninth.

Mississippi College (1-4) was paced by Brunson with two hits, including a triple and a run scored. Kerdock was one for four with an RBI and Posey had a double and a run batted in. Frye (0-1) was charged with the loss allowing one unearned one on one hit in 1.2 innings of work.

Belhaven will be back in action on Wednesday afternoon hosting Tougaloo College at 4:00 PM. Fans can catch all the live play-by-play action courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here.