JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven baseball team defeated Culver-Stockton College 14-6 on Thursday, winning their first game of the Belhaven Invitational. The Blazers have now opened the season with five consecutive victories, scoring 53 runs along the way.
"We have a chance to make a statement this weekend, but we wanted to make sure we started off the right way today," Head Coach
Hill Denson. "Our guys were able to stay focused and pick up a big win."
The Wildcats took a 3-0 lead after shortstop Jake Pott hit a bases-clearing triple in the first inning, but the home team responded in a big way in the bottom half. The Blazers batted around on their way to scoring seven runs, providing enough run support to last for the duration of the night.
Emilio DeSilva and
Adam Kowalczyk contributed three base hits apiece, while shortstop
Gabe Wilson scored on three occasions. Eight different Blazers contributed a base hit, and the lineup combined to draw a season best seven walks.
Belhaven's offense erupted for 14 runs, scoring in more than ten runs for the third consecutive game. Starter
Ben Allison went seven innings in his second victory of the year, allowing five earned runs on seven base hits.
The senior right hander walked just one while fanning five Wildcats before the bullpen took over in the eighth. Seniors
Jim Tom Copeland and
Michael Wurster each hurled a scoreless frame in relief, combining to strike out half the batters they faced.
Jawan Johnson was hit with the loss in his season debut, surrendering 10 Belhaven runs through the game's first 2.1 innings. Ryan Ungerecht finished the third, while Chris Fields and Alonso Ruz teamed up for the final five frames.
Belhaven returns to action on Friday, when they will host 9th-ranked Missouri Baptist at Smith-Wills Stadium. First pitch is slated for 4:00 pm.
"This is a team that got the best of us last year, and we know what they are capable of," Denson said. "They are one of the best teams we will see in our non-conference schedule, but we are looking forward to seeing our guys rise to the challenge."
