ABILENE, Texas – The Belhaven Baseball team dropped the series finale to Hardin-Simmons 8-7 on Saturday afternoon from Hunter Field.
 
Belhaven (16-10, 6-6) was down early to Hardin-Simmons (16-10, 10-5) 3-0 after one inning.
 
In the fourth, the Blazers responded by tying the contest with three runs in the frame. Daniel Ammirati brought home Adam Kowalczyk on an RBI single. Will Mullen followed with a single to right field to bring Trey Eschberger home from third. With Ammirati at third, Brandon Hymel brought him home on a sacrifice fly for the third run for the Green and Gold.
 
The Blazers added two in the fifth to take their first lead of the contest, 5-3. Eschberger broke the tie with a single through the left side to bring home Jacob Byrd. After a pitching change by the Cowboys, Ammirati stroked a single to center field to bring home Kowalczyk.
 
Belhaven added an insurance run in the sixth, as Byrd singled to bring in Colton Fontana, who pitch ran for Gabe Veith, who singled.
 
Hardin-Simmons added a run in the sixth to cut the score to 6-4.
 
In the eighth, the Blazers added another insurance run, as JG Miley doubled home Tee Payne.
 
Leading 7-4 going into the bottom of the eighth, the Blazers pitching staff allowed four runs in the frame to give the Cowboys the 8-7 advantage.
 
In the ninth, Terrell Hodges started the inning with a leadoff walk, but with Hodges at second and Eschberger at first and Ammirati at bat with one out, both runners attempted the double steal. Eschberger reached second safely, but Hodges over slid the bag at third to be ruled out. Ammirati ended the game for the Blazers with a strikeout.
 
Eschberger extended his on-base streak to 16 games with three hits in four at bats. Byrd, with a walk in the fifth, extended his on-base streak to 11 games. Mullen's single in the fourth extended his hitting streak to eight games.
 
Shane Brown started for the Blazers, and after the first inning where he allowed three runs, the junior transfer settled down to pitch five and one-third innings, allowed four earned runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out two.
 
Landon Boyd (0-1) allowed the four runs to cross for Hardin-Simmons in the eighth inning and took the loss.
 
Belhaven will return home to prepare for 15th-ranked Texas-Tyler, who will come to Jackson for a three-game series in American Southwest Conference play. First pitch of the series is scheduled for 4 p.m. from Smith-Wills Stadium.