JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven baseball team lit up the scoreboard Monday afternoon as they took down the North Park Vikings by a score of 18-15. The two teams combined for thirty-three runs and twenty-nine hits in the contest.

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INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: Belhaven 18 | North Park 15

Records: Belhaven 2-4, North Park 0-3

Location:  Smith-Wills Stadium | Jackson, Miss. |

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HOW IT HAPPENED

- In the top of the first inning, North Park struck first with a single to left field that scored two runs on the hit, giving the Vikings the quick 2-0 lead.

- In the bottom half of the first inning, down 2-0, Belhaven answered with a two-run home run from senior catcher, Kreg Garner, to tie the game at 2-2.

- North Park continued to add runs, as the Vikings pushed two more runs across the plate in the top half of the second inning to lead 4-2.

- With the help of two errors, two doubles, and five hits in the second inning, Belhaven knocked in six runs, giving the green and gold a four-run advantage, 8-4.

- North Park scored one run in the third inning to pull within 8-5 and used the top half of the fourth inning to tack on four more runs, giving the Vikings a 9-8 lead.

- Belhaven used an explosive eight-run bottom of the fourth inning, helped by a three-run home run from Trip Benson, to regain the lead 16-9. Gasper D'Anna and Tucker Calhoun each collected two RBI's in the inning.

- The Vikings offense never went away, as North Park pulled within 16-13 heading into the bottom half of the eighth inning. 

- After a Trip Benson single to begin the eighth, left fielder Justin Acevedo would use the burners to motor around the bases, earning the left fielder an inside the park home run and two RBI's. The inside the park home run gave Belhaven an 18-13 lead.

- Entering the top of the ninth, the Vikings had scored in every inning except for the eighth inning. Belhaven turned to closer Austin Douglas to close out the game in the ninth inning.

- Douglas and the Blazers found the Vikings threatening with two outs, two runners at second and third, and two runs already across the board, as North Park had cut the lead to 18-15 with the tying run at the plate.

- Yet, with all the runs scored in the game and the intensity of the ninth inning, Austin Douglas was able to get the last man to pop out to right field to secure the Blazers 18-15 victory. 

- With the win, the Blazers moved to 2-4 on the season.

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KEY STATISTICS

- North Park and Belhaven combined for thirty-three runs, twenty-nine hits and ten errors. 

- Belhaven had three home runs in the game including two that left the park from Kreg Garner (1), Trip Benson (1), and an inside the park home run from Justin Acevedo (1).

- Tucker Calhoun, Trip Benson, and Kreg Garner each collected three RBI's in the game.

- Justin Acevedo went 3-3 at the plate with three runs scored, two RBI's and two walks.

- Calhoun finished 2-2, four runs scored, three RBI's, and three walks. 

- To view complete individual and team stats click here. 

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UP NEXT

Belhaven will head to Richardson, Texas for a weekend series against ASC opponent UT-Dallas. First pitch is slated to take place at 1:00 p.m. on Friday with a second game to follow. Game three of the series will take place on Saturday with an expected start of 1:00 p.m. as well.

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