ROANOKE, Va. – Belhaven Softball took both of its games in Pool Play at the NCCAA Softball World Series, defeating Mid-America Christian 5-1 and Central Baptist 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon from the Botetourt Sports Complex.
 
In game one against Mid-America Christian, all five Blazers runs came in the third inning, with Brooke Laigast leading off the inning for the Green and Gold. With a 2-1 count, the junior transfer sent a fly ball over the right center fence for her first home run as a Blazer.
 
Following a Dani Craft single and steal, Hannah Holloway brought Craft home for the second run of the contest.
 
After a Makenzie Hawkins single and a wild pitch to move the runners up to second and third, Carly Yasses brought home Holloway to push the score to 3-0 in favor of the Green and Gold.
 
The next batter, Savannah Lyon, doubled to straightaway center field and brought home Hawkins for the fourth run of the frame.
 
Belhaven's final run of the inning came on a sacrifice fly by Taylor O'Dell, bringing home Adrianna Wallace, who pitch ran for Lyon.
 
Jordan Herring (10-1) allowed two hits in four shutout innings, with striking out four.
 
Taylor Surrento struck out four in three innings of relief for the Blazers.
 
In game two against Central Baptist, after four innings scoreless, the Blazers' (35-8) bats came to life in the fifth inning. The inning started on a Holloway error. After a Hawkins bunt and a Carly Yasses ground out, the Blazers racked up four straight hits, five total, along with a walk, to score five times in the inning. Lyon delivered her second double of the day to break the scoreless tie, bringing home Holloway.
 
Haley Yasses singled to bring home Meg Garton, who pitch ran for Lyon for the second run.
 
The next batter, O'Dell, smashed a triple to right center field, her first triple as a Blazer, bringing home Haley Yasses.
 
Mary Austin Barber joined the hit parade with a single up the middle to bring O'Dell home.
 
After a Savannah Johnston walk, Craft hit a ground-rule double and brought home Barber for the fifth run of the contest.
 
Central Baptist scored once in the sixth to break the shutout.
 
The Green and Gold added an insurance run in the seventh. Megan Goss and Kailey-Morganne Shields had back-to-back pitch hit singles. After O'Dell and Barber came back into the game to pitch run and a groundout, O'Dell was at third and Barber at second with Dani Craft at the plate, Barber was the victim of a caught stealing, but was able to get O'Dell across the plate before she was tagged out to end the inning.
 
Juilenne Broussard (15-3) went the distance in the nightcap, allowed two hits, one unearned run and struck out nine in the win.
 
Belhaven will look to claim the Pool B title on Thursday against Judson, beginning at 9 a.m. CT.  If the Blazers win, they would play at 5 p.m. CT in the semifinals Thursday night.