Box Score
CLEVELAND, Ga.-The Belhaven baseball team lost 5-2 in game one of a three game Southern States Athletic Conference series at Truett-McConnell College on Friday afternoon. The Blazers, ranked 15th in the Preseason NAIA Top 25 Poll, spotted the Bears three runs in the first inning and couldn't recover.

Truett-McConnell took a lead they would never relinquish in the bottom of the first inning. Belhaven shortstop Dillon Berry committed a costly error that led to all three runs in the first being unearned. Leadoff hitter Ross Roberts reached on an errant throw to start the frame and gave the Bears the extra out needed to produce the runs. Nick Fryman and Johnathon Wilson followed with back to back singles to load the bases. Garrett Hix then hit into a 6-3 double play driving in Roberts for the first run. With the extra out to work with, Brett Clifton picked up an RBI single and Matt Powell brought home the third run with a base hit to right.

Belhaven got on the board in the second inning when second baseman Jason Hicks led off with a single and ran home on a Jaime Bruno RBI double to center field. However, the Bears got the run back when Hayden Fleming reached on another error by Berry and later scored on a Fryman double to make it a 4-1 game.

The Blazers cut the deficit back to 4-2 in the top of the third when left fielder Anthony Doss ripped his ninth double of the year to right with two outs and third baseman Bud Britt touched first base on an error by Hix. Doss hustled home on the play to score the run. Unfortunately, Belhaven's bats were silenced the rest of the afternoon. The Bears did tack on an insurance tally in the fifth resulting in the 5-2 final score.

Belhaven (12-5, 2-2 SSAC) was held to seven hits with three of them coming off the bat of Doss. Britt, Hicks, and Ryne Cook each had one hit while DH Jamie Bruno drove in a run on his second inning double Friday afternoon. Belhaven starting pitcher Geoffrey Thomas (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, working five innings allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Only one of the five runs was earned. Brandon McHenry tossed three scoreless innings in relief giving up just one hit while striking out three.

Truett-McConnell (8-4-1, 2-1 SSAC) was led by Fryman who went 3 for 5 at the plate with an RBI. The DH Johnathon Wilson had two hits followed by third baseman Brett Clifton and center fielder Matt Powell with one hit and an RBI each. Kyle York recorded the win for the Bears pitching 7.1 innings in which he gave up only two runs on seven hits. He walked just two hitters and struck out eight. Jacon Brewster was awarded his third save of the season by pitching a scoreless ninth inning.

Belhaven will wrap up the three game series on Saturday beginning with game one of a doubleheader at 11:00 AM Central time. Fans can hear all the live play-by-play action courtesy of Stretch Internet by clicking here.