JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven Blazers capped off a comeback of Saturday's suspended game and completed a series sweep of Concordia University Texas with a victory Saturday afternoon in the finale at Jim McLeod Field.
The Blazers (10-5) entered the day trailing the Tornadoes (5-12) 3-0 in the fourth inning of game two, which was suspended Friday after an umpire injury.
Taylor Surrento entered the game in relief of
Jordan Herring and retired the Tornadoes with just one hit in 3.1 innings, recording four strikeouts in the process without allowing a walk.
However, the Blazers still trailed until the sixth inning, when the bats finally came alive. Belhaven, who had been held to three hits by Noey Ruiz through the first five innings, started the comeback rally with a double to left center by
Dani Craft to lead off the inning.
Hannah Holloway followed it up with a single to right field, putting runners on the corners. After
Makenzie Hawkins walked,
Carly Yasses was hit by a pitch, which brought Craft home for the first run.
Savannah Lyon then hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield, which scored Holloway and allowed Hawkins to advance to third.
Haley Yasses tied the game with a double to left field in the next at bat, which also put the go ahead runs on second and third.
Sarah Beth Harbour, who pinch ran for
Carly Yasses, then scored the go ahead and eventual winning run on a wild pitch.
However, the scoring wasn't finished, as Surrento aided her effort in the circle by hitting a double off of the top of the centerfield fence.
Haley Yasses came around to score the fifth and final run of the game.
Surrento improved to 2-2 with the win in relief and was handed the ball for the start of game three. She went on to pitch 3.1 innings, allowing just four hits and two runs in a non-qualifying decision, not meeting the required minimum for innings pitched as a starter to get the win.
The Blazers gave Surrento the lead, wasting no time in the bottom of the first. After Craft reached on a walk to begin the first for the Blazers, she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Holloway, and then scored one batter later with a single down the left field line by
Carly Yasses.
Lyon followed it up with a big homerun to left field to put the Blazers up 3-0.
Haley Yasses then followed with a walk and
Taylor O'Dell added to the homerun tally with another two-run homer to left center, capping a 5-run inning for the Blazers.
After Concordia scored two runs in the top of the fourth, Belhaven answered back with a run in the fourth and another in the fifth to secure a 7-2 victory.
O'Dell led off the fourth with a triple and
Mary Austin Barber brought her home with a pinch-hit RBI single.
In the fifth,
Haley Yasses brought home the final run of the game, completing a successful squeeze play with a bunt to score Hawkins from third.
Julienne Broussard earned the win with 3.2 innings pitched in relief, improving to 6-2. Broussard didn't allow a hit, striking out five with just one walk in her appearance in game three.
The Blazers will now have the midweek off before returning to action on Friday with a trip to Clarksville, Arkansas for an ASC series against the University of the Ozarks.