Box Score TYLER, Texas – The Belhaven baseball team ran their win streak to seven on Wednesday afternoon after defeating Texas College by a score of 8-5 at Irwin Field. With the victory, the Blazers improved to 22-4 on the year, while the Steers dropped their seventh straight and fell to 8-17 overall.

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"We didn't play well until the ninth inning, but I'm proud of our guys for clawing their way back today," Head Coach Hill Denson said. "We found a way to win the game, and that's the mark of a good ballclub."

Pitching proved to be interesting, as the two squads combined to throw 15 pitchers in the slugfest. Will Cockrell received the starting nod for Belhaven, allowing just one hit and two walks through three innings. Chris Good, Richard Richardson, Andrew Gunn, and Austin McCann combined for the next three innings, repeatedly escaping threats from the Steer offense.

Zach Rowell and Josh Rogers were roughed up for five runs over the next three outs, and things didn't improve when Jim Tom Copeland hit his only batter. Rowell was on the hook for the loss, but the bats would later change that possibility.

Texas College starter Brandon Signs was chased after three innings, allowing three runs on two hits and six walks, and lefty Gene Swartzenberg held the Blazers in check for the next three innings. Chris Burroughs was the next man out of the Steer bullpen, lasting two scoreless innings before giving way to Miguel Salayandia.

Offensively, Belhaven got on the board with a run in the first before adding two more in the third, but Texas College stormed back with a four-run seventh inning. The Steers added what appeared to be a deadly blow in the bottom of the eighth, and the Blazers went to the ninth trailing 5-3.

Reagan Rutledge started the final frame with a single up the middle before Paul Pickerrell's walk gave the Blazers a sense of life. A passed ball allowed both runners to advance, and two pitches later, Tyler Akins was hit with a pitch that loaded the bases.

Michael Wurster came on to pinch run for Akins, and after a shallow fly out, Belhaven looked to be down to their final out of the day. Hunter Sutton had other plans, however, as his single to right drove in two and tied the game. The momentum carried over, as Gabe Wilson followed with a 2-RBI double to right center, forcing Texas College to make a pitching change.

Salayandia was hit with his first loss of the season, after allowing all five Belhaven runs in the top of the ninth. Kyle Randall recorded the final out on the mound for Texas College, but the damage had already been done. Brayden Dykes added an RBI single through the left side, and the Blazers suddenly claimed an 8-5 lead. Once the dust settled completely, Belhaven struck for five runs on four timely hits, while simultaneously deflating the Texas College momentum.

Texas College right fielder Jared Seal provided the biggest spark of the Steer lineup, going 2-4 at the plate while driving in a pair of runs. Nick Escobar boasted a multi-hit game of his own, while four other Steer hitters found a base hit on the afternoon.

Belhaven's Wilson drove in four runs, while Dykes posted a three-hit game to help boost the offense. The bottom third of the order came up big for the visiting Blazers, as they combined for five of the team's seven hits and drove in five runs. A former Tyler Junior College Apache, Hunter Sutton felt right at home, driving in the other three runs and aiding Belhaven's victory.

As the ninth Blazer pitcher of the afternoon, David Hill was still in the game when the bats started clicking, qualifying him for his second win of the season. Tyler Akins served as the final pitcher of the 3-hour game, recording his ninth save of the year in a quick bottom of the ninth.

Belhaven proved to be multi-dimensional offensively, drawing nine walks and safely swiping seven bases en route to their seventh consecutive victory. The Blazers will face a big test this weekend, when they travel to Montgomery, Alabama to take on the top ranked Faulkner Eagles in Southern States Athletic Conference play. First pitch of Friday's doubleheader is slated for 4:00 pm.

"We hope that winning can become contagious because we're getting ready to see the best team we'll see all year," Denson said. "It'll be a hostile environment, but we're hoping to find a way to get a couple of big victories."