Box Score JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team came up short in a 13 inning 6-3 decision against Bethel University (TN) Saturday afternoon in Southern States Athletic Conference play at Smith-Wills Stadium. The Blazers, ranked 23^rd in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, were still able to get the series win thanks to a pair of victories Friday night. Nonetheless, Belhaven was a couple of plays away from possibly earning the sweep.
 
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"I'm disappointed we weren't able to get the win today and the series sweep," Belhaven Head Coach Hill Denson said. "Bethel made the plays when they needed to and we had some chances ourselves, but weren't able to execute. However, we were able to win the series and now have to refocus and get ready for some big games this week against Mississippi College and Auburn-Montgomery."
 
Bethel (22-17, 13-14 SSAC) took the lead for the first time in the series with a run in the top half of the first inning. Lance Jarreld doubled to left center, stole third base, and came home on an RBI groundout by Gadier Charriez.
 
Belhaven (36-15, 16-11 SSAC) fought back in the second on the strength of a leadoff double by Hunter Sutton. Two outs later, James Peterson came through in the clutch with an RBI base hit chasing courtesy runner Michael Wurster home from third.
 
The Wildcats broke the 1-1 tie in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Colton Kail. Ryan Huber doubled off Rayko Bellmas to start the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt setting the stage for Kail's fly ball to center field.
 
Bethel stayed in front until the bottom of the sixth when the Blazers struck for two runs. Paul Pickerrell doubled to right center and with two down a walk to Sutton put runners on first and third with Dominick Francia coming to the plate. Francia appeared to strike out on a 1-2 pitch, but just did get a piece of the ball to stay alive at home plate. On the next offering from starter Garrett Perry, Francia singled through the right side of the infield to tie the game at 2-2.
 
At that point, Wurster occupied third and Francia stood on first setting the stage for the go ahead run. Francia took off from first and stole second without a throw. Meanwhile, in an attempt to catch Wurster off the bag a third, catcher Taylor Follis's throw hit Wurster in the back and deflected into shallow left field enabling Wurster to score the go ahead run.
 
Bethel bounced back in the top of the eighth to tie the game at 3-3, although things could have been worse. Josh Rogers recorded one out before the Wildcats loaded up the bases. Austin McCann was summoned from the bullpen and limited the damage to one run, although the Blazers were close to escaping unscathed.
 
Martin Key tied the game with an RBI fielder's choice to third base and avoided a potential inning ending double play when Gabe Wilson's throw went high at first. In the process, Huber tried to score the go ahead run off the miscue but was thrown out at the plate.
 
The game turned into a stalemate at that point although Belhaven had the best opportunity to win it in the ninth inning. The Blazers loaded the bases with one out, but Logan Dietz worked out of the jam by inducing a double play ground ball off the bat of Brayden Dykes to keep it tied at 3-3.
 
Bethel finally broke through against McCann in the top of 13^th to win the game. A two run double off the bat of Taylor Paterson and an RBI single by Michael Brasili proved to be the difference in the game. Belhaven went quietly at the plate in the bottom of the 13^th.
 
McCann suffered the loss despite an outstanding effort out of the bullpen. McCann (4-2) allowed three runs on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Unfortunately, the Blazers couldn't string enough hits together to take the lead. Sutton had a solid day at the plate picking up three hits in five at bats. Pickerrell ended the afternoon with two hits while Francia and Peterson had one hit and one RBI each.
 
Dietz earned the win for Bethel with a five inning performance out of the bullpen. Dietz (1-0) shutout the Blazers on two hits while walking two and striking out one. Huber, Key, and Brasili each had a pair of hits for the Wildcats with Paterson leading the charge with two runs batted in.
 
The Blazers will take the field again Tuesday night against Mississippi College in a Maloney Series battle at Smith-Wills Stadium starting at 6:00 PM. A Belhaven win clinches the 2014 Maloney Series Championship.