COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Belhaven Blazers softball team split its games on Saturday, falling to Ave Maria University 12-5 in the final game of pool play before defeating Corban University 8-0 to advance to the semi finals in bracket play.
 
The Blazers scored two runs in the first, two more in the second and one in the third to take a 5-1 lead over Ave Maria. Ashlee Hit started the scoring with a double down the line to score Josie Porter. Makenzie Hawkins then singled to score Hitt to wrap scoring in the first.
 
Taylor O'Dell then added to Belhaven's lead with a two-run homerun in the second inning.
 
Hayley Yasses added Belhaven's final run with an RBI single to score Hawkins in the third.
 
However, Ave Maria would answer with a six run fourth inning and then added five more runs in the fifth and sixth to pull away from the Blazers.
 
In the first round of Bracket play, the Blazers came up against Corban University for the second time in as many days.
 
Belhaven blew the game open in the first, scoring seven runs to pull away from the Warriors.
 
The first run for Belhaven came with a bases loaded walk by Hawkins that scored Dani Craft.
 
Victoria Sorrell then doubled down the right field line, scoring Hitt and Emily Todd on the play.
 
In the next at bat, Carly Yasses reached on a throwing error by the third baseman, which allowed Hawkins and Sorrell to score on the play.
 
Craft finished off the inning's scoring with a single to right that scored Stacey Luciani and Haley Yasses.
 
Julienne Broussard picked up the win in the game, allowing just two hits and two walks in five innings of work. Broussard picked up eight strikeouts in the contest.
 
In the sixth inning, Carly Yasses ended the game with a bases loaded walk off single to score O'Dell and trigger the run-rule victory.
 
The Blazers advance to the bracket semifinals and will face Park University. The winner will face the winner of Campbellsville and William Carey for the bracket championship.