Box Score Game 1    Box Score Game 2
MOUNT VERNON, Ga.- The Belhaven baseball team opened its three game Southern States Athletic Conference series Friday at Brewton-Parker College, coming away with a doubleheader split. The Blazers took game one 11-0, but the Barons bounced back with a 5-0 victory in game two to even the series at one game apiece. The two teams will meet in game three on Saturday at 12:00 PM.
 
Game One
The Blazers had their work cut out for them in game one facing Brewton-Parker's ace pitcher Joel McLaughlin. McLaughlin came into the series with a 7-0 record and 0.50 ERA, but that didn't seem to faze the Belhaven hitters.
 
The Blazers struck early and never allowed McLaughlin to find his rhythm, scoring four times in the top of the first inning. Left fielder Dominick Francia hit the first pitch of the game down the left field line for a leadoff double and eventually scored on a passed ball to make it a 1-0 contest. Catcher Kyle Wheeler later followed with an RBI base hit and then an error by left fielder Keaton Stroud allowed two more runs in. Stroud dropped a fly ball off the bat of center fielder Reagan Rutledge as Emilio DeSilva and courtesy runner Daniel Gilbert both crossed the plate.
 
Leading 4-0, Belhaven (23-16, 11-6 SSAC) kept the pressure on scoring two more times in the fourth and five times in the sixth. Francia notched his second extra base hit of the game, chasing home DH Hamilton Harper with a triple for the games fifth run. Harper led the inning off with a base hit to right field. Second baseman Ryne Cook delivered an RBI single to right center plating Francia for a 6-0 Blazers lead.
 
With one out in the sixth, Belhaven reeled off three straight singles to load the bases for right fielder Emilio DeSilva who brought in two runs with a single to left field. Pinch hitter Caleb Baucum followed with a two run double down the left field line and Harper capped the inning with a sac fly to right field to make it an 11-0 game.
 
Meanwhile, pitcher Chris Good turned in another dominating performance en route to his fourth shutout victory and fifth complete game. Good led the NAIA with nine wins coming into the contest and leaves with 10 after posting the victory. Good (10-2) went seven innings and allowed only six hits while walking one and striking out six.
 
DeSilva and first baseman Bud Britt each had three hits followed by Francia, Wheeler, and Cook with two hits each. DeSilva had two runs batted in along with Baucum. Francia picked up his 26^th steal of the season while Rutledge swiped his 31^st bag of the 2013 campaign. The Blazers outhit Brewton-Parker 17-6.
 
McLaughlin pitched 5.1 innings for the Barons and gave up nine of the 11 runs on 14 hits. McLaughlin suffered his first loss of the season dropping his record to 7-1. Stroud had three of the six Baron hits in game to lead the offense.
 
Game Two
Brewton-Parker (16-10, 9-5 SSAC) turned the tables on Belhaven in game two and stopped the Blazers nine game winning streak with the 5-0 win. The Barons took the lead in the first on an RBI double by center fielder Jon Kemmer and then scored three times in the third. A Belhaven error opened the door for all three Brewton-Parker runs in the third frame.
 
On what appeared to be a potential double play ball back to the mound, pitcher Michael Wurster's throw to second sailed high into center field putting runners on first and third with one out. Shortstop Edgar Delgado picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice followed by an RBI single from second baseman Eddie Peyton and a bases loaded walk to Stroud. Kemmer capped the scoring with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Belhaven could never get on track against left hander Kory Brooker who limited the Blazers to one hit over seven innings. Brooker picked up his second win of the season with the shutout. Brooker walked four and struck out seven Blazer hitters. Kemmer went 2 for 3 at the plate with two runs batted in for the Barons. Peyton also finished the game with two hits and one RBI.
 
Belhaven's only hit of game two was a single to right center by Baucum in the top of the second inning. Jared Miller was charged with his second loss of the season after allowing the game's first run in the bottom of the first. Wurster was charged with three unearned runs in 0.2 innings. Gunn pitched 3.2 frames and limited the Barons to one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
 
Belhaven will close the weekend series at Brewton-Parker on Saturday beginning at 12:00 PM.