Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
HATTIESBURG, Miss.-The Belhaven baseball team earned a doubleheader split at Southern States Athletic Conference rival William Carey University on Saturday afternoon. The Blazers, ranked 22nd in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, lost game one of the day 3-0, but responded with a 4-3 win in 10 innings in Saturday's night cap. The Crusaders ended up winning the three game weekend series, topping Belhaven on Friday night 12-2 in game one of the series.

Game One
In game one, William Carey struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning and that's all the Crusaders would need. Shortstop Ronald Camacho drove a two out three run double into the left field corner to clear the bases. Belhaven's offense managed just three hits against pitcher Kye Wilson who was dominant over the course of seven innings.

Belhaven's three hits were turned in by second baseman Jason Hicks, first baseman Jaime Bruno, and right fielder Tom Wertz. Starting pitcher Brett Blaise struggled in the first inning, but regrouped and pitched well over the next four innings ending the game with five innings on the hill. Blaise (4-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with seven walks and three strikeouts. Nick Meekins pitched one scoreless inning in relief.

William Carey (25-17, 12-11 SSAC) had two hits in game one from first baseman Jackson Posey. Posey started the two out rally in the first, keeping the inning alive with one of his two base hits. Camacho had the only other hit on the three run double. Wilson improved his record to 5-2 on the hill with the win. Wilson struck out five and walked only one.

Game Two
Belhaven (30-15, 14-10 SSAC) pounced on Crusader starting pitcher J.D. Little for three runs in the first inning to take the lead in game two of the twin bill. Centerfielder Tyler Wrinkle led off the inning with a single to left followed by a Hicks double to left center. Left fielder Anthony Doss cleared the bases by launching his seventh home run of the season over the wall in right field.

The Blazers didn't lead for long as William Carey came right back with three runs in the home half of the first. Camacho brought in the first run when Geoffrey Thomas hit him with the bases loaded. Left fielder Daniel Covert then tied the game at 3-3 on a two run single up the middle. From there, the bats were silenced until the top of the 10th inning, although each team had opportunities to take the lead.

The Blazers left the bases loaded in the second, left two in the seventh, two more in the eighth and a double play ball closed out a scoring chance in the ninth. Belhaven finally got to relief pitcher Scotty Reese in the top of the 10th. Reese came on in the second and managed to hold down the Blazers for 8.2 innings. First baseman Jaime Bruno reached on a walk and then third baseman Bud Britt moved pinch runner Josiah Richard to second on a sac bunt to open the 10th. Wertz was hit by a pitch and then shortstop Hamilton Harper, in his first at bat of the series, doubled home Richard for what proved to be the winning run. Relief pitcher Jon Patino closed out his two inning performance by retiring the Crusaders in order in the home half of the 10th inning for the victory.

Hicks and DH Kyle Wheeler each had two hits to lead the Blazer offense. Doss had three runs batted in on the home run in the first inning and Harper had a double and one run batted in. Britt, Wertz, and Wrinkle all chipped in with one hit apiece and as a team Belhaven ended game two with 10.

Thomas covered five innings and allowed just the three runs on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Ryan Kassab held back the William Carey offense for three innings, limiting the Crusaders to two hits with a walk and a strikeout. The win in relief for Patino bumps his record to 6-1 in 2012. Patino allowed just one hit while striking out two in two innings.

William Carey had eight hits in the second game led by centerfielder Ernie Triplett with two of them. Covert had two runs batted in and Comacho had one hit and one RBI in game two. Reese endured the tough loss, allowing one run on seven hits in 8.2 innings on the mound. Reese walked four and struck out six as he falls to 3-4 on the season.

Belhaven will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting Freed-Hardeman University in a non conference matchup at Smith-Wills Stadium beginning at 6:00 PM.