JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Baseball team defeated Millsaps, 8-6, on Wednesday afternoon to avoid the three-game season series sweep from Twenty Field.
 
The Blazers struck first in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded and one out, JG Miley reached on a fielder's choice, bringing in Daniel Ammirati at third base.
 
Millsaps (13-13) came back in the bottom half of the second with a run to tie the game at one.
 
Belhaven (14-9) would respond in the top of the 5th, with three runs in the frame to retake the lead. Adam Kowalczyk doubled to right field to bring in Miley from second, who started the inning on a bunt single. Trey Eschberger followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Jacob Byrd. After an Ammirati walk, Will Mullen scored the fourth run of the contest with an RBI single to bring in Kowalczyk.
 
Millsaps added one run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Blazers lead to 4-2, but Belhaven responded by scoring twice in the top half of the sixth. After a leadoff double by Tee Payne and another bunt single by Miley, Byrd brought home Payne on a fielder's choice. Two batters later, during Eschberger's at bat, a throwing error was commited on the Majors pitcher. Byrd, who was on second during the failed pickoff attempt, scored on the error. Belhaven led 6-2 after six innings.
 
The Majors would add two runs in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 6-4, but the Blazers struck again in the top of the ninth. After a double by Kowalczyk and a hit by pitch by Eschberger, Ammirati singled to bring home Kowalczyk. After Mullen reached on an error, Brandon Hymel scored the eighth run with a sacrifice fly to bring home Eschberger.
 
Millsaps added two more in the bottom of the ninth, but the Blazers ended the Majors comeback bid with the 8-6 victory.
 
Ammirati and Mullen recorded three hits apiece, while Miley and Kowalczyk raked two hits each.
 
Brick Pugh (1-0) earned his first win in his first collegiate start, going five innings, allowed four hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with three strikeouts.
 
Belhaven will hit the road next for a three-game series in American Southwest Conference play against Hardin-Simmons. First pitch of Friday's doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m.