OAKLAND CITY, Ind. - It took two games, but the Belhaven University softball team defeated Oakland City for the second time in two days to claim the NCCAA Mideast Regional Championship at Oakland City on Tuesday.

 

 

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INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: Oakland City 7, Belhaven 6 (Game one)  Belhaven 10, Oakland City 6 (Game two)

Records: Belhaven 22-16 | Oakland City 18-13

Location:  | Oakland City, Ind.  |

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HOW IT HAPPENED

- Game one

- Cassidy Blount connected on a two-run home run to take a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

- Oakland City had two runners on in the top of the third, but the Blazers' defense recorded two straight outs to get out of the inning.

- Makayla Reed opened the bottom of the third with a leadoff single, followed by a shot that bounced off the top of the centerfield wall by Marlee Blackwell, which scored Reed from first for a 3-0 lead.

- Cassidy Blount recorded her third RBI of the game later on in the inning which scored Blackwell for a 4-0 advantage.

- Brianna Dollar drew a walk, and then Danielle Darmohray was hit by a pitch to load up the bases.

- However, the Blazers stranded all three runners on the base path to end the inning.

- Oakland City finally broke through in the top of the fourth after an RBI single to right field.

- The Mighty Oaks put runners on second and third with just one out in the inning, but the Blazers got out of the jam still ahead by three runs.

- Oakland City stranded seven runners through the first four innings of action.

- Belhaven added another run in the bottom of the fourth, as Kaitlyn Blubaugh crossed the plate thanks to an RBI single from Makayla Reed to make it 5-1 Blazers.

- An RBI single to center field scored another run for Oakland City in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit down to 5-2.

- The Mighty Oaks made it a one-run game later on in the inning off a ball hit out to deep right field.

- Another RBI single to right field evened up the contest at 5-5.

- The Green and Gold reclaimed the lead after a sac bunt from Kaitlyn Blubaugh to put BU ahead 6-5.

- Back-to-back RBI singles in the 6th put Oakland City out in front 7-6 as both teams traded leads.

- A leadoff double from Brianna Dollar in the bottom of the 7th put the tying run in scoring position with nobody out. Unfortunately, the Blazers would go down in order to end the contest.

 

- Game two

- Belhaven struck first in the top of the first with an RBI single to right center from Marlee Blackwell which allowed Blubaugh to score from second for a 1-0 lead.

- Blount hit a ball out to deep center field to score two runs in the top of the third to increase the Blazers' lead out to 3-0.

- Oakland City evened up the contest with three runs of their own in the bottom of the third.

- The Blazers charged back ahead with three runs in the fourth. Meg Garton's RBI double to center scored Anna Peyton Montessi.

- Makayla Reed's RBI scored Garton to place the Blazers ahead 5-3. Later on in the inning, Marlee Blackwell singled up the middle to score Reed.

- OCU would not go away without a fight and once again scored three more runs with two in the fourth and one in the fifth to tie up the game at 6-6.

- In the sixth, the Blazers responded with four runs.

- Kaitlyn Blubaugh's double down the left field line brought home Brittany Chetta from second base to put Belhaven ahead 7-6.

- Makayla Reed then smashed a two-run bomb over the center field wall for a 9-6 advantage.

- The Blazers would add a run of insurance moments later after an infield RBI from Cassidy Blount.

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KEY STATISTICS

- Game one

- Cassidy Blount registered a three-RBI performance with a two-run home run and a single.

- Makayla Reed finished 2-4 with an RBI while Marlee Blackwell had an RBI double.

- Brianna Dollar and Danielle Darmohray each tallied two hits apiece.

- Jordan Herring tossed 6.1 innings of action and struck out five batters.

- Mariah Sosa pitched the final 0.2 innings in relief

- Belhaven posted 10 hits as a team but left 10 runners on base in the loss.

- Oakland City collected 16 hits as a team.

 

- Game two

- Marlee Blackwell had a perfect 4-4 effort at the plate along with two RBI.

- Cassidy Blount tallied one hit but brought in three RBI, giving her five in total for the afternoon.

- Makayla Reed finished 1-5 with three RBI including a two-run home run.

- Marissa Rice collected two singles in the victory, while both Kaitlyn Blubaugh and Meg Garton also recorded two hits with two runs scored and an RBI.

- The Blazers notched 16 hits in the victory.

- Mariah Sosa started game two and pitched three full innings while striking out five and giving up only three hits.  

- Jordan Self pitched the remainder of the contest and struck out two.

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UP NEXT

Belhaven will compete in the NCCAA World Series in Roanoke, Va. from May 16-19.
 
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