LaGRANGE, Ga. - The Belhaven University softball team split their doubleheader on opening day at LaGrange College on Tuesday afternoon in non-conference play.
The Blazers defeated the Panthers 9-4 in the first matchup, but fell 7-3 in game two.
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INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Game one - Belhaven 9, LaGrange 4 | Game two - LaGrange 7, Belhaven 3
Records: 1-1, 1-1
Location: Â LaGrange, Georgia |
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HOW IT HAPPENED
-Game one
- The Blazers' bats came alive in game one and quickly got on the board in the top half of the first on an RBI double from Makayla Reed, which scored Kaitlyn Blubaugh for the first run of the 2018 season.
- BU added two more runs in the second inning on RBI's from Cassidy Comstock and Blubaugh.
- The Green and Gold did all of their damage in the third inning where they scored six runs.
- Cassidy Blount connected on an RBI single to right field scoring Reed to push the Blazers' lead out to 4-0.
- Marlee Blackwell then posted a two run RBI double on a hard hit ball out to left field, followed by another RBI double from Brittany Chetta to make it 7-0 BU.
- Moments later, Blubaugh would record ab RBI triple on a ball hit out to the wall. Meg Garton would then bring her home to score on an RBI single up the middle.
- The Blazers led 9-3 heading into the 7th. The Panthers posed a late threat to close the gap, but the Blazers held the Panthers off for a 9-4 win.
- Jordan Self put together a solid performance as she pitched a complete game in the circle giving up just seven hits in the victory.
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- Game two
- After what was a dominating effort in game one, things would go differently for the Blazers in game two.
- Belhaven got off to a similar start by jumping out to a 3-0 advantage in the first inning. Marlee Blackwell continued her hot start to the 2018 season by posting her third double of the year and bringing in three runs (Reed, Garton, and Blubaugh) with the bases loaded.
- However, Belhaven would never score the rest of the way.
- LaGrange added three runs of their own back in the bottom half of the first to even the score at 3-3.
- The Panthers would take the lead off of an RBI double for a 4-3 advantage in the second.
- Mariah Sosa came in to pitch in relief for the Blazers and kept the Green and Gold in the contest. Sosa struck out eight total batters, including five in a row at one point to stall the Panthers' offense.
- Neither team would score again until the bottom of the sixth inning, when Emily Barrs of LaGrange hit a three-run home run to make it 7-3.
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KEY STATISTICS
- Game one
- The Blazers posted 10 hits as a team.
- Makayla Reed finished 3-4 while Marlee Blackwell knotted a 2-4 performance from the plate with both hits recorded as doubles.
- Blackwell and Blubaugh both registered two RBI apiece.
- Jordan Self got her first win as a Belhaven Blazer and also tossed one strikeout.
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- Game two
- Belhaven was held to just five hits in total.
- Meg Garton led BU with a team-high two hits on a 2-2 performance with a run scored.
- Blackwell went 1-3 with three RBI, while Reed and Danielle Darmohray each finished with one hit.
- The Blazers squandered four runners on base in the loss.
- Lauren Feagin got the start in the circle for game two, with Mariah Sosa pitching in relief with eight total strikeouts.
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UP NEXT
Belhaven will take on Huntingdon on Wednesday at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. in Montgomery, Ala.
For the latest news on Belhaven Blazers athletics, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
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