Box Score
JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team exploded for eight runs in the third inning and never looked back, en route to a 12-4 win over NCAA Division I Mississippi Valley State University Tuesday night at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers pounded out 11 hits and stole 12 bases while the pitching staff limited the Delta Devils to seven hits.

Belhaven (29-15) jumped in front with one run in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly off the bat of catcher Kyle Wheeler. Second baseman Ryne Cook had doubled with one out, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on the fly ball by Wheeler.

Mississippi Valley State (4-28) countered with two runs in the second to grab the lead away from the Blazers. Center fielder Edward Cox singled in the first run and second baseman Edmund Cheatham delivered a sac fly to plate the innings second run. The Delta Devils went up 3-1 in the third when pinch runner Demetrins Bonner crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

The deficit didn't faze the Blazers who changed the momentum with the eight run third inning. Belhaven slugged five hits and took advantage of a few wild pitches and two Mississippi Valley State errors. Shortstop Josiah Richard opened the inning with a single and scored the first run on a wild pitch. Wheeler recorded an RBI single followed by a run scoring single off the bat of first baseman Bud Britt.

Courtesy runner Daniel Gilbert kept the rally alive by stealing home and then a dropped pop up by catcher Ethen Fancher on a ball hit by right fielder Emilio DeSilva gave the Blazers an extra out. Belhaven took advantage when Britt scored on a passed ball before DeSilva eventually crossed the plate on another wild pitch by reliever David Lostra. Left fielder Dominick Francia capped the inning with an RBI single to make it a 9-3 game.

Belhaven went on to add two more runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Britt followed by an RBI double from center fielder Reagan Rutledge. The Blazers final run materialized in the fifth when Cook stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Candler Thomas.

Belhaven was led at the plate by Wheeler who went 2 for 4 with two runs batted in. Four other Blazers each picked up two hits including Britt who was 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. Cook chipped in with two hits, scored three runs, and stole three bases while Dominick Francia and Reagan Rutledge had two hits and one run batted in.

Andrew Gunn logged two innings and earned the win on the mound to go to 4-1 this season. Gunn allowed one run on two hits with a walk and one strikeout.

German Hays led the Delta Devils with two hits followed by Edward Cox and Edmund Cheatham with a hit and RBI apiece. Montana Killier suffered the loss on the bump, permitting six runs on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Belhaven will be back in action this Friday when the team travels to Spring Hill College for game one of a three game Southern States Athletic Conference series with the Badgers. Friday's first pitch is slated for 6:00 PM.