Box Score
JACKSON, Miss.- The Belhaven baseball team dropped game one of its three game Southern States Athletic Conference series to Lee University 6-2 Friday night at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers stayed close until the ninth when the Flames scored three times to put the game away.

Belhaven (11-9, 0-4 SSAC) pulled ahead early with a run in the bottom of the first. Centerfielder Reagan Rutledge kicked things off with a leadoff single and moved to second on a throwing error by pitcher Jose Samayoa on a failed pickoff attempt. First baseman Emilio DeSilva moved Rutledge to third on a ground out and then Samayoa balked him in for a 1-0 Blazers lead.

Lee (18-2, 7-0 SSAC), ranked 3rd in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 Poll, moved in front in the second with two runs off Blazer starter Jonathan Thompson. The Flames loaded the bases with one out and plated a run on a ground ball by second baseman Mark Silva. Silva ended up reaching base on an error by shortstop Josiah Richard. The bobbled ground ball gave the Flames an extra out which they used to plate the other run on a fielder's choice by centerfielder Brady Renner.

Both pitching staffs held the hitters in check until the eighth, although the Blazers let a scoring opportunity go by the boards in the seventh. Belhaven put runners on first and third with nobody out, but a failed squeeze play at the plate cut down the potential tying run. The Blazers couldn't recover as Lee escaped without allowing a run.  

Then in the top of the eighth, Lee extended its lead to 3-1. Silver doubled with one out and came home on a single off the bat of catcher Danny Canela. In the home half of the eighth, Rutledge drew walk, stole second and crossed the plate on an RBI single by catcher Kyle Wheeler to make it a 3-2 game heading to the ninth.

However, the Flames left nothing to chance scoring three times to build a four run cushion at 6-2. Renner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded sending home DH Jordan Stewart followed by a two run single off the bat Silver to left center. Closer Andy Hillis came in from the bullpen for the home half of the ninth and shutdown the Blazers in order, securing the 6-2 victory.

Belhaven kept within striking distance thanks to a solid pitching performance by Thompson. Thompson (0-1) limited the top offense in the NAIA to two runs on four hits in the span of six innings, but still suffered the loss. He walked one and struck out five in his second start of the season.

At the plate, Belhaven (11-9, 0-4 SSAC) was led by Rutledge who collected one hit while scoring a pair of runs. He also swiped his NAIA leading 21st base of the season. Wheeler added an RBI single followed by third baseman Bud Britt, left fielder Majer Entabi, and Harper with one hit each. Britt had the only extra base hit for the Blazers; a double in the seventh inning.

Silver led the way for Lee (18-2, 7-0 SSAC) with two hits and two runs batted in followed by Canela with two hits and one RBI. Stewart collected two hits and two runs scored.

Samayoa (4-0) claimed the victory on the hill for Lee, logging seven innings in which he allowed one unearned run on four hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out nine.

Belhaven's three game SSAC series will conclude on Saturday with a doubleheader at Smith-Wills Stadium beginning at 1:00 PM.