Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
MOBILE, Ala. – Belhaven's softball squad kicked their 2013 Southern States Athletic Conference schedule with a split against Spring Hill. The Blazers dropped the first game 7-4 to the Badgers before rebounding for a 6-1 win in game two.

With six teams from the SSAC ranked in the first NAIA Coaches' poll of 2013, Coach Kevin Griffin knew that his team would have to be battle-tested before their conference schedule began.

When you look at the Blazers early season schedule it is filled with opponents that were in the pre-season top 25 poll. Belhaven has beaten almost every obstacle while playing one of the toughest schedules in the country, on their way to a 12-2 record.

However, things did not get any easier for the Blazers in the conference opener on the road against Spring Hill College. The Badgers, who currently sit just outside the top 25 with a No. 28-ranking, entered the contest boasting an impressive 20-3 record.

While the Badgers have not played as many highly rated opponents as the Blazers to date, they do have resume-building victories over No. 12 Brenau and No. 14 Lindsey Wilson. Either way it was going to take quite an effort for Belhaven or Spring Hill to pull off a sweep.

Game one started off as a pitchers' duel between Katy Adair and Spring Hill pitcher Caroline Sagrera. As impressive as Adair has been early on in 2013, Sagrera came into the series as one of the best pitchers in the NAIA by sporting a 13-0 record.

The Badgers were the only team to score in the first four innings, striking in the bottom of the first on an RBI-double from Jade Bourgeois. Adair was able to get out of the inning only surrendering the one run and held the Badgers in check over the next three innings.

Belhaven took their first lead of the game in the fifth inning with a trio of runs from a bases-clearing double to the wall by Adair.

Jordan Cole had doubled down the right field line with two outs in the inning to begin a rally for the Blazers. Shelby Watson and Denee' Crawford were then hit on back-to-back pitches to set up Adair for the three-RBI blast.

The lead would be short lived as the Badgers responded in the bottom half of the fifth for six runs of their own to take a commanding 7-3 lead. Ginger Lonergan came in for relief of Adair after the Belhaven starter loaded the bases with no one out.

Lonergan struck out the first batter, but walked the next two to drive in two runs before a double by Taylor Webre blew the game open.

Belhaven would tack on another run in a late come-from-behind attempt in the seventh that fell just short.

Jessica Paris took the mound in the second game and continued her amazing start. Paris struck out 11 batters and only surrendered four hits in her fifth complete game effort of the season.

The game started virtually the same as the first did, with the Blazers unable to score early against starting pitcher Sagrera. Spring Hill was able to put up a run against Paris early, but that would be their only run of the game.

Belhaven tied the game in the sixth inning on back-to-back doubles by Watson and Crawford, but the team found their groove in the seventh.

Brittni Trawick led off the inning with a pinch-hit single and it was all downhill from there for the Badgers. Crawford hit a double with the bases loaded to add three more runs batted in to her season total and Adair hit her second double of the day to drive in Crawford.

Dominique Corona added a double of her own to cap off a five run inning and spur the Blazers to a big SSAC victory. Belhaven handed Sagrera her first loss of the season.

Belhaven returns home after an 11-game road trip for twin bills against Emmanuel on Friday afternoon and Southern Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. The first pitch each day is slated for 1:00 PM.