Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team wrapped up its three game Southern States Athletic Conference series with third ranked Lee University Saturday afternoon at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers earned a split by taking game one 1-0 followed by a loss in game two 4-1. The Flames ended the weekend winning two out of three games thanks to a 6-2 victory in the season opener on Friday.
 
Game One
Pitching and defense was the story in game one of Saturday's doubleheader with the two offenses's combining for just five hits. Belhaven starter Chris Good turned in his best outing of the season holding Lee's topped ranked offense to just two hits. The defense behind him turned two double plays and played error free through seven innings.
 
Belhaven (12-10, 1-5 SSAC), looking for a much needed win in conference play, scored the only run in the bottom of the second. Myles Smith, who was unbeaten on the hill coming in, quickly retired third baseman Bud Britt and left fielder Majer Entabi to begin the frame.
 
On a 3-1 pitch to center fielder Dominick Francia, Smith fired a fastball over the inside corner that Francia fisted down the left field line for a two out double. Second baseman Daniel Gilbert followed with an RBI single to left plating Francia for a 1-0 lead.
 
Good (5-2) earned the win by turning in his second consecutive seven inning complete game. Good allowed two hits, walked only one batter, and struck out six. Francia, Gilbert, and shortstop Josiah Richard each had a hit for the Blazers.
 
Smith suffered his first loss of the season despite a solid performance dropping his record to 4-1. Smith logged six innings allowing the one run on three hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Center fielder Brady Renner and shortstop Josh Silver had the only hits for Lee.
 
Game Two
Game two of the doubleheader had the same look and feel of the first with neither team collecting a hit until the fifth inning. Josh Rogers started the game for Belhaven and pitched the first four frames without allowing a Lee hit.
 
Jared Miller took over for Rogers in the fifth and worked in and out of a jam to keep the game scoreless. Miller surrendered a hit to catcher Jordan Stewart with one out and the Flames would later put runners on first and third with two down. However, Miller got second baseman Brandon Rader to fly out to right to end the threat.
 
Lee (19-3, 8-1 SSAC) broke through for a run in the sixth off Andrew Gunn to take a 1-0 edge. Renner reached to start the inning on a fielding error by first baseman Hamilton Harper and went to third on a throwing error by Gunn off a failed pickoff attempt. Silver dropped a single to left driving in Renner for the first run of the game.
 
The Blazers battled back in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at 1-1. Britt doubled to right center off starting pitcher Clint Terry, moved to third on a base hit by Entabi, and scored on pinch hitter Jonathan Thompson's sacrifice fly to center.
 
Belhaven then loaded the bases with one out, but the chance at a big inning went by the boards. The Blazers failed to execute a squeeze play as Francia was cut down at the plate. After a walk to pinch hitter Jason Hicks that reloaded the bases, relief pitcher Alex Moore got Gilbert on a ground out to first to end the inning.
 
The Flames went to work quickly in the top of the eighth, registering what would end up being the game winning runs. Renner singled to left off Avery Johnson and then Silver was hit by a pitch placing runners at first and second.
 
Austin McCann was summoned from the bullpen and on his first pitch DH Danny Canela slammed a three run homer over the wall in right field to make it a 4-1 contest. The Blazers couldn't recover as Lee secured the series win.
 
Britt, Entabi, and second baseman Ryne Cook had the only hits for Belhaven in game two of the twin bill. Cook broke up a no hit bid by Terry with a single in the sixth. Johnson fell to 0-1 on the hill this season after allowing two of Lee's three runs in the eighth.
 
Canela had three of the four runs batted in for the Flames on the eighth inning home run. Sliver had one hit, a run scored, and one run batted in. Renner ended the game with a hit and two runs scored.
 
Terry pitched six innings and gave up the one run on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Moore (1-1) took home the win firing 0.2 innings.
 
Belhaven will entertain defending NAIA National Champion Tennessee Wesleyan College on Tuesday and Wednesday at Smith-Wills Stadium. Tuesday's first pitch is slated for 6:00 PM.