JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven baseball team used two home runs in the contest to defeat the Majors of Millsaps, 8-6, to even the 2017 Cowboy Maloney Series at a game apiece on Tuesday night from Twenty Field.
Tuesday night's starters
David Hall and Kenny Wright, who rematched on the mound a week after squaring off against each other, did not allow a run through the first four innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hall (2-1), after allowing his first hit in 5.2 innings, allowed his first run of the contest on the next batter. Chase Callaway brought home Brennen Ducote for the first run.
The lead would not last long for the Majors (6-7), as the Green and Gold (7-3) responded with a four-run sixth inning.
After
Terrell Hodges began the inning with a groundout,
Stephen Sexton walked. After a strikeout,
Ryan Wesson got on base with an infield hit. With two on and two away,
Kreg Garner sent a fly ball to left field, and the ball was misplayed by the Majors outfielder. The junior got to second base, and Sexton scored to tie the contest at one.
The next batter,
Will Costinett, with a 3-0 count, sent the ball over the right center wall for a three-run dinger, his second of the year to put the Green and Gold ahead 4-1.
The Blazers added a run in the seventh on a Sexton double, scoring Hodges.
In the eighth, the Green and Gold added two key runs to push the lead to 7-1. After Wesson reached base on a wild pitch,
Kreg Garner sent a ball to deep center field for a home run, his first of the season.
The two runs would loom huge for the Blazers, as Millsaps responded with a five-run fifth inning to cut the deficit to one run. The Majors started the inning with four straight base runners, two via the hit by pitch and two via the walk.
Lee Ogletree would clear the bases thanks to a single and an error by the Blazers.
In the ninth, BU added a key insurance run. After Hodges reached base with a hit by pitch, he would get to third base on a failed pickoff attempt and two base error.
After a lineout,
Daniel Ammirati brought Hodges home on a double to lead 8-6.
Austin Douglas, after a walk and single to start the inning, came in relief to shut down the Majors in the bottom of the ninth to secure the win for BU.
Costinett and Garner each recorded three RBIs to go with their respective home runs in the Blazers win. Both Garner and Ammirati each tallied two hits for BU in the win.
Hall, thanks to the four-run sixth, earned his second win of the year going five innings, allowed two hits, one earned and struck out five.
The two will square off again on Mar. 21 at Smith-Wills Stadium in the rubber match, with the Blazers looking to retain the Maloney Trophy.
The Blazers next will prepare for 13th ranked UT Tyler. The three-game ASC series will begin on Friday at 6 p.m.
