Box Score
JACKSON, Miss.-The Belhaven baseball team lost a non-conference matchup at home Tuesday night, falling to Union University (TN) 5-2 at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers trailed 2-0 going into the bottom of the eighth inning and rallied to tie the game at 2-2, but the Bulldogs answered with three runs in the top of the 9th to take the win.

The first three frames were scoreless, although each team had some opportunities to get on the board. Union left five men on as Blazer starting pitcher Brandon McHenry worked his way out of trouble unscathed. Belhaven had a chance to get on top first in the second inning putting runners on first and third with one out. Third baseman Emilio DeSilva was hit by a pitch and shortstop Hamilton Harper roped a single to center sending DeSilva to third setting up runners on the corners. Union pitcher John Reed got out of the jam when he induced a double play ball off the bat of catcher Kyle Wheeler to end the inning.

Union picked up solo runs in the fourth and fifth to move in front 2-0. Doug Joyce started the fourth with a double to left and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Jim Martin. In the fifth, Kian Jost walked with one out, moved to second on a ground out and scored on a two out single by Brett Pawlan to right field.

Belhaven finally generated some offense in the eighth inning battling back to tie the game at 2-2 off relief pitcher Cody Dew. Right fielder Joshua Bouldin walked to lead off the inning, stole second base with one out, and ran to third on a base hit by first baseman Jamie Bruno. Designated hitter Clay Bonds then drove in Bouldin on a fielder's choice bunt and with two away Harper lined a single to center plating Bonds for the second run.

However in the ninth, the Bulldogs came back with three runs to take home the win. Martin delivered the go ahead RBI's on a bases loaded two run single to center field making it a 4-2 contest. The third run came home on a throwing error by left fielder Jason Hicks. The Blazers brought the tying run to home plate in the home half of the ninth with one out, but Dew retired Bouldin and Hicks on groundouts to end the game.

Belhaven (14-9) was limited to six hits on the night with Harper and Wheeler picking up two apiece. Harper had one RBI and one of Wheeler's hits was a double to the wall in left center in the ninth. Center fielder Tyler Wrinkle and first baseman Jamie Bruno recorded the other hits for the Blazers and Bonds had a run batted in. Belhaven did have five stolen bases with Bouldin and Hicks each registering two. Courtesy runner Justin Hill logged the other Blazer steal. McHenry started on the hill for Belhaven and pitched 6.2 innings, allowing two runs on 10 hits with four strikeouts. Alan McHenry (1-1) ended up taking the loss as he was charged with the go ahead run in the top of the ninth inning. McHenry went one inning giving up the run on two hits. Josh Clarke was tagged with the other two Union scores.

Union (10-3-1) had 17 hits in the game led by first baseman Jim Martin who was 3 for 4 with three runs batted in. Doug Joyce had three hits and two runs scored followed by right fielder Brett Pawlan with two hits and one RBI. Dew (5-0) took home the win in relief, firing 2.2 innings in which he allowed two runs on four hits.

Belhaven will be back in action at Smith-Wills Stadium on Friday when the Blazers host Auburn University-Montgomery for a three game Southern States Athletic Conference beginning at 6:00 PM. Games two and three of the series are scheduled for Saturday starting at 1:00 PM.