Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team improved to 17-4 on the season with a doubleheader sweep of Calumet College of St Joseph (4-9-1) at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday evening. The Blazers took the opener by a final of 8-6 before winning the nightcap 14-4.

(Box Score-Game 1) (Box Score-Game 2)
"Their pitching staff was extremely thin coming in, and we swung the bats well," Head Coach Hill Denson said. "Winning two ballgames is always a good thing, so today was a success for us."

The Blazers got on the board in the first inning before erupting for five runs in the second and eventually adding one more in the third. After three innings, Belhaven led 8-0 and appeared to be in cruise control mode, but the Crimson Wave stormed back with six runs in the sixth inning.

Offensively, Hunter Sutton led the Belhaven attack, posting a 2-hit ballgame that included a bases-loaded triple in the second inning. Emilio DeSilva went 2-3 at the plate to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, while speedy outfielders Reagan Rutledge and Dominick Francia added a base hit apiece. The home nine did damage on the base paths as well, as six different Blazers safely stole a base.

Ben Allison received the start on the mound and entered the game in a tie for second place in the NAIA in wins. With the exception of one hit batter, the right hander pitched a perfect three innings while averaging a strikeout per frame. Jim Tom Copeland was the first man of the Blazer pen, and he overcame a leadoff walk to retire the next three batters and record his first victory of the year.

Richard Richardson struck out two the top of the fifth before Justin Atkinson allowed six runs on three hits and a pair of walks to let the Crimson Wave back into the ballgame. Drew Broyles and Austin McCann combined for the next two outs, allowing just a hit and a walk between them. Tyler Akins moved from first base to the mound for the seventh, and three batters later, Akins earned his seventh save of the campaign.

Calumet College's Mitchell Dubois was hit with his second loss of the year on the mound after allowing eight runs on six Blazer hits through five innings. The right hander issued five walks and struck out just one.

The nightcap saw an offensive explosion start in the second inning, when the Blazers posted six runs. The momentum carried over, as the Green and Gold struck for three more in the third before adding five more in the bottom of the fourth. Five Belhaven hitters recorded an extra base hit, while the Blazers added six stolen bases to the scoresheet, as well.

Rutledge and Francia paved the way, as they each went 3-4 at the plate and combined to score five runs. Second baseman Paul Pickerrell remained red hot at the dish, driving in three while scoring three runs of his own. Tyler Akins and Gabe Wilson combined for four hits and three RBI, while five other teammates added a base hit.

The Crimson Wave pitching staff struggled the entire game, as starter Sergio Esquivia lasted just 2.2 innings and allowed nine Blazer runs on nine hits. Joseph Dux provided little relief, giving up five runs in his lone inning of work before Jorge Melero held Belhaven in check for the final two frames.

Southpaw Chris Good picked up his third win of the year after throwing 1.1 perfect innings in relief of Will Cockrell after the starter allowed three runs on four hits through the first 2.2 innings. Zach Rowell, Andrew Gunn, and Josh Rogers combined for the final three frames, with the lone blemish being the lone unearned run allowed in the top of the seventh.

Belhaven will return to action on Friday, when they host Blue Mountain College for a three-game Southern States Athletic Conference series. First pitch is set for 6:00 pm from Smith-Wills Stadium.

"They've got some guys we recruited, so they'll be a competitive ball club," Denson said. "We'll both be trying to win all three games, so we will see what happens."