Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Belhaven softball team wrapped up the weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama with two wins and a loss at the Gulf Shores Invitational hosted by the University of Mobile. The Blazers started the day with 4-3 wins over Missouri Baptist College and Columbia College (MO), but fell in the finale to Southeastern University (FL) 3-0. The Blazers went 4-1 over the two day event and are now 16-3 overall this season.

(Box Score-MBU) (Box Score-Columbia) (Box Score-Southeastern)
"I'm proud of our team and they showed a lot of character by battling all weekend long," Belhaven Head Coach Kevin Griffin said. "To finish the weekend 4-1 is a great accomplishment and now we have to move forward to our conference opener on Monday."

Belhaven vs. Missouri Baptist
Missouri Baptist took the early lead with solo runs in the top of the first and fourth innings before Belhaven answered in the home half of the fifth. Denee' Crawford placed a single to right field, driving home Josie Porter to make it a 2-1 game. The Blazers then tied the game in the seventh to force extra innings when Shelby Watson blasted a home run over the center field wall.

Missouri Baptist plated a run in the top of the eighth to move back in front 3-2, but Belhaven countered with two in the bottom of the frame to secure the win. The Blazers loaded the bases with one out and Ashley Hitt was hit by an Andrea Chessor fastball to tie the game at 3-3. Later Emily Todd crossed the plate for the game winner on a passed ball by Payton Anderson.

Todd had two hits to pace Belhaven at the plate followed by Watson and Crawford with one hit and one RBI apiece. Pitcher Katy Adair tossed all eight innings in the circle for the Blazers and was credited with the win. She allowed three runs on six hits with one walk and 12 strikeouts.

"It was great to see Katy Adair back to her old self today," Griffin said. "She pitched a great ball game and showed why she can be one of the top pitchers in the country when she is healthy. Shelby came up big for us when we needed her today in the seventh-inning. She had a great approach at the plate and tied it up with one swing and that was huge for our team."

Megan Medcalf had the only RBI for Missouri Baptist on a 1 for 3 afternoon at the plate. Jena Trombley pitched 7.1 innings and suffered the loss for the Spartans. She was charged with four runs on six hits with five walks and no strikeouts.

Belhaven vs. Columbia
The Blazers needed some late inning heroics in game two of the day and it was Watson who delivered the game winner. With no one out in the bottom of the seventh, Watson launched a three run double to the wall in left field chasing home Porter, Adair, and Jessica Paris.

Belhaven had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a ground ball by Haley Yasses. The lead stood up until the top of the seventh when Columbia exploded for three runs to pull in front 3-1. Thankfully, Watson was there to save the day in the home half of the seventh.

The double by Watson was her only hit, but what a big hit it was. Yasses had one of Belhaven's other four hits and the only other RBI. Ginger Lonergan got the start in the circle and picked up a complete game victory, her seventh of the season. Lonergan allowed three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

"It wasn't a pretty win but anytime you can win a close game against a quality opponent it says a lot about our team," Griffin added. "Once again we waited until the late innings to do anything offensively. However, Shelby seems to come up with a big hit anytime we need one. I'm proud of how focused she is right now and she is doing a great job of getting good pitches to hit."

Jaime Holmes and Whitni Howell each collected two hits for Columbia College. Holmes finished the game with one of the Cougars three RBI. Lauren McCroskie took the loss for Columbia, permitting four runs on four hits with seven walks and one strikeout.

Belhaven vs. Southeastern (FL)
Belhaven's bats were silenced in the final contest of the day by pitcher Lauren West. West fired all seven innings and surrendered just three hits while walking three and striking out nine. The Fire set the tone in the top of the first inning with two runs and then added and insurance tally in the top of the sixth for a 3-0 win.

Dominique Corona, Watson, and Adair had the only hits for Belhaven with Corona's double being the only one that went for extra bases. Jessica Paris turned in a solid performance in the circle, but suffered the loss after working all seven innings. Paris allowed three runs on two hits with a walk and 12 strikeouts.

"Jessica was great for us in the circle today and pitched about as good of a game as she can, but we made a few mistakes behind her defensively in the first inning and that ended up costing us the ball game." Griffin said. "We just could not get anything going off against West. It was a long weekend and I think we kind of ran out of gas."

Kim Pierce collected three hits and one run batted in for Southeastern followed by Cat Maldonado with two hits and one RBI.

The Blazers will be back in action on Monday when they open Southern States Athletic Conference play against Bethel University at McLeod Field. Game one of the twin bill is set for 1:00 PM.