THE RUNDOWN

JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven University softball team tallied 23 total hits on Tuesday evening, en route to a doubleheader sweep over the Millsaps Majors. The Blazers defeated the Majors 8-2, before earning the 10-7 victory in extra innings.

In game one, the Blazers got things started from the beginning when Marlee Blackwell hit a leadoff double to centerfield. After a SAC bunt from Bailey Root, Allie Gordon stepped up to the plate and drilled a double to right center to score Blackwell to give Belhaven the early 1-0 advantage.

In the top of the third inning, the Green and Gold plated another run off of a Brianna Dollar RBI-single to push the lead to 2-0.

Marlee Blackwell tallied her second double of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Abbey Allen then came into the contest to pinch run for Blackwell. On the next play, Bailey Root smoked a double to left field to score Allen from second base to make the score 3-0.

The score remained the same until the top of the sixth inning. The Blazers bats erupted in the inning, scoring five runs on five hits to take a commanding 8-0 lead over the Majors.

The Majors took the shutout away, after scoring two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 8-2.

BU went on to gain the 8-2 victory over the Majors in game one of the doubleheader.

The Majors struck first in game two, after back-to-back doubles from the Majors to give them the 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Allie Gordon crushed a solo shot to center field to narrow the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, Carley Ingle scored on an error to tie the ballgame up at 2-2.

Elizabeth Platt scored on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning to give the Blazers the 3-2 lead.

Millsaps added two runs in the bottom half of the inning when Norse lined a two–run RBI Double to grab the 4-3 advantage over the Blazers.

Allie Gordon hit an double to right center to score Marlee Blackwell and Carley Ingle to make the score 5-4 in the top of the seventh inning. The majors rallied late to even the game up at 5-5 to force extra innings.

The international tiebreaker would go into effect, which means after seven innings a runner is placed on second base with no outs in the inning. The runner would be the last batter to get out the previous inning.

The Blazers took the lead in the top of the eighth inning, but the Majors got the run back after a RBI-triple to make the score 6-6 heading into the top of the ninth inning.

In the top of the ninth inning, the Blazers offense exploded scoring four runs on two hits to give the Blazers a 10-6 lead. The Majors fought hard in the bottom of the ninth, but only could score one run. 

The Green and Gold had a 10-6 win over the Majors to sweep the doubleheader.

BU Head Coach Kevin Griffin Comments on the Doubleheader Sweep

"Tonight was a great team effort. Time after time someone stepped up and got a huge hit or made a big play defensively. We have some girls who are getting locked back in offensively the past few weeks. I'm proud of how hard our team has worked to fix some things. These girls care about each other and want to win, but the togetherness helps us to put a priority on team and family and then the wins are just icing on the cake."

BU Head Coach Kevin Griffin Comments on the Pitching Staff

"Our pitching staff was phenomenal tonight. Kassie Shipley and Jordan Self were both locked in tonight and were hitting their spots."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Allie Gordon led the Blazers in game one going 3-for-4 from the plate and scored a run in the contest. 

Marlee Blackwell, Bailey Root, Brianna Dollar and Anna Peyton Montesi had two hits, while Brister Curry and Marissa Rice each had a hit.

Kassie Shipley got the start and win in the circle for the Green and Gold. Shipley gave up only two runs on six hits and tossed 6.1 innings. Jordan Self came in to relieve Shipley to seal the deal for the Blazers.

As a team, the Blazers scored eight runs on 13 hits and one error in the game one victory.

In game two, Bailey Root, Allie Gordon, and Anna Peyton Montesi had multiple hits in the contest. Gordon added a homerun and three RBI in the win over Millsaps.

Danielle Darmohray, Carley Ingle, Marlee Blackwell, and pinch-hitter Grace Whitworth rounded out the hit for the Green and Gold.

Jordan Self went the distance in game two throwing 9.0 innings and struck out six batters.

As a team, the Blazers posted 10 hits and 10 runs in the contest.
 
UP NEXT

The Blazers will have a week off before returning to the field on Wednesday, March 27 for a doubleheader with Huntingdon College at McLeod Field. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.

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