Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
JACKSON, Miss.-The Belhaven baseball team swept a crucial Southern States Athletic Conference doubleheader from 13th ranked Auburn University-Montgomery Saturday afternoon at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers, ranked 15th in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll, took game one of the day 6-1 followed by a 6-2 decision in the second contest. Belhaven ends the weekend taking two out of the three games after losing the series opener 9-7 in 10 innings Friday night.

Game One
Belhaven (17-10, 6-6 SSAC) broke the ice in game one with four runs in the second inning on a bases loaded walk to second baseman Justin Hill and a three run double by third baseman Tom Wertz. All four runs came in after two men were out and the Wertz double set the tone for the rest of the day. The Blazers added a run in the third when center fielder Tyler Wrinkle led off with a double and scored on a base hit to right center by DH Kyle Wheeler.

Auburn University-Montgomery (17-11, 8-4 SSAC) cut the deficit to 5-1 on an RBI triple by shortstop Branden Kelly. However, that would be the only run the Warhawks could muster off Blazer starting pitcher Allen Johnson. Belhaven tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch hit RBI single by Brayden Dykes leading to the 6-1 final.

Wheeler was 3 for 3 at the plate for Belhaven with a run scored and one run batted in. Wrinkle collected two hits, including a double, and was credited with a run scored. Wertz had three runs batted in on his bases clearing double in the second inning. Johnson turned in one of his best outings of the season on the mound, limiting AUM to one run one on five hits in seven innings of work. Johnson was credited with the win and moves to 3-4 on the season.

Kelley had the only RBI of game one for the Warhawks on the triple in the fifth inning. Rusty Todd, Logan Remson, Shane Turner, and Wes Hughes each had one of Auburn-Montgomery's five hits. Pitcher Wes Cook (2-2) started and suffered the loss, allowing five runs on four hits in 2.1 innings. Daniel Selph surrendered an unearned run over the course of 1.1 frames.

Game Two
The third game of the series remained scoreless until the fifth as both starting pitchers kept the bats silent. Belhaven threatened in the second and fourth innings, but left runners on second and third in each inning. Then in the fifth, the Blazers finally broke through with two outs to take a 3-0 lead. Third baseman Bud Britt delivered a two run double down the left field line off AUM pitcher Cory McGinnis that chased home Wrinkle and second baseman Jason Hicks. Wrinkle and Hicks had set the inning up by reaching on a single and a walk respectively. Ryan Saunders capped the scoring by slamming an RBI single up the middle that cashed in Britt from second.

Belhaven went on to post three more runs in the seventh on an RBI ground out by Saunders followed by an RBI double off the bat of Wheeler. Jamie Bruno made it a 6-0 game with a two out RBI single that drove in courtesy runner Justin Hill. Belhaven starting pitcher Brett Blaise worked into the ninth inning and retired one batter before giving way to Matthew Shaw out of the pen. The Warhawks were able to break through for two runs on an RBI single from center fielder Carson Amick and an RBI fielder's choice generated by Bryan Young. However, Shaw was able to stop the rally and secure the 6-2 win by getting pinch hitter Wes Hughes on a ground out to first base although it wasn't a routine play. First baseman Emilio DeSilva dove to his right to make the stop and flip to Smith covering the bag for the final out.

Britt ignited the Belhaven offense with three hits in four at bats, including the two out two run double in the fifth. Britt added another double and also scored two runs to round out the afternoon. Wheeler notched two hits and had an RBI while Saunders generated a pair of RBI's and one hit. Bruno finished the game with one hit and one RBI, Wertz legged out a bunt single, and Wrinkle along with Hicks each contributed a base hit.

Blaise pitched his way to a 3-0 record, firing 8.1 innings that resulted in only two runs on three hits for Auburn-Montgomery. Blaise walked five and ended the afternoon with two strikeouts. Shaw finished out the game by recording the final two outs in the ninth.

Amick had two of the Warhawks four hits and had one run batted in. Todd and Remson had one hit apiece and Young drove in the second Auburn-Montgomery run in the ninth. McGinnis (4-1) gave up four of the six runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings. Relief pitcher Andrew Morris pitched 0.2 frames and was responsible for runs five and six.

Belhaven will be back in action on Monday at Union University starting at 2:00 PM. Monday's game starts a seven game road swing for the Blazers.