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Emilio DeSilva

Baseball

Blazers Outlast Talladega in Slugfest

Box Score JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team (13-3) picked up their fourth consecutive victory on Wednesday evening with an 8-5 defeat of Talladega College. The Tornadoes (7-9) dropped their second of the two-game series after falling 5-1 at Smith-Wills Stadium on Tuesday night.

(Box Score-HTML)
"We pitched well throughout the game and got some big hits at the right times," Head Coach Hill Denson said. "We did a good job all the way around tonight."

The offense seemed to be in a rhythm from the first pitch off of Talladega starter Luis Benitez. The right hander was chased in the fifth, allowing five earned runs on five Belhaven hits while walking four and striking out just one.

A four-run bottom of the fifth was the difference in the game, aiding the Blazers to a season sweep of the Tornadoes. Tyler Akins paved the way for Blazers, collecting three singles and driving in a pair, while Paul Pickerrell drove in two more on his 2 for 4 effort at the plate.

Reagan Rutledge and Josiah Richard also added a multi-hit ballgame, while right fielder Emilio DeSilva drew a pair of walks that turned into runs for the home nine.

Belhaven starter Will Cockrell was pulled in the fourth inning in favor of David Hill (1-0), who picked up the win in his first appearance of the season. Hill threw just 1.1 innings, but issued a punch out and just one walk.

Andrew Gunn became the next man out of the Blazer bullpen, allowing one run in his lone inning. Sidewinder Austin McCann struck out two of the next three hitters before Josh Rogers struggled against the Tornadoes in the eighth.

Rogers allowed two runs on three hits while fanning one as the Blazer lead was cut down to just one. The bats got both of those runs back in the bottom half, allowing closer Tyler Akins to cruise to his fourth save of the campaign.

Talladega DH Hector Corona led the Tornadoes at the plate, going 2 for 4 with a home run and three runs batted in. First baseman Kameron Mizzell collected two hits along with second baseman Jean Marmol and Richard Puello. Puello notched an RBI and scored two of the five Talladega runs. Benitez had his record fall to 1-2 on the hill after suffering the loss.

The Blazers will return to action on Friday evening, when the team travels to Alabama to take on the University of Mobile for game one of a three game Southern States Athletic Conference series. First pitch is set for 6:00 PM.

"Mobile is always tough on us, and it's not the easiest place to play," Denson said. "It will be a challenge, but I hope we can take some momentum down there with us."
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