JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team split their home doubleheader against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Cru on Friday, February 28 in American Southwest Conference play.

Game One
In the first game the Blazers captured a 12-4 victory in five innings over the Cru. The Blazers got an early lead in the first inning as the first four batters of the game successfully reached base with senior Marlee Blackwell leading off with a double and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Junior Elizabeth Taggard then drew a walk, followed by an RBI single for sophomore Allie Gordon scoring Blackwell. Sophomore Haley Hanson then loaded the bases with a bunt single, while freshman Madison Miller later hit a two-RBI single scoring Taggard and Gordon to give the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

The Cru cut into the lead with a solo run in the top of the second inning; however, the Blazers responded with a six run bottom half to pull away from the Cru as Blackwell once again got the Blazers going with a double, her second of the game. Junior Keirra Fair was then brought in as a pinch runner and advanced to third on a single by Taggard. Fair and Taggard both scored as Gordon smashed a three-run home run, her first of the year, to increase the Blazers lead to 6-1. Hanson then reached on an infield single, but was forced out at second as senior Bailey Root reached on a fielder's choice. Junior Abby Trahan singled, and then Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Blazers. Root scored on a wild pitch, while Miller and Trahan scored on a two-RBI single by freshman May Hebert pushing the Blazers lead to 9-1.

The Cru responded with a three-run home run by Hannah Wolfe to cut the Blazers lead down to 9-4 in the top of the third. The Blazers added a solo run in the bottom of the fourth as Trahan drew a leadoff walk and later scored on an RBI groundout by senior Brittany Chetta, giving the Blazers a 10-4 lead. The final two runs for the Blazers came in the fifth inning as Root hit a double to get the Blazers going then advanced to third on a single by Trahan, her second of the game. Root then scored on Hebert's second single of the game, while Trahan scored the final run on a wild pitch securing the 12-4 win for the Blazers.

Bailey Root got the start and pitched all five innings for the Blazers earning her fourth win of the season. Root allowed four runs on seven hits, with five strikeouts, two walks, and one hit-by-pitch. Allie Gordon finished the game 2-3 with a single, home run, and four RBIs, May Hebert went 2-3 with two singles and three RBIs, while Madison Miller went 2-3 with two singles, and two RBIs for the Blazers.

Game Two
The Cru took the second game of the doubleheader by a final of 8-5.

The Cru got on the board with a solo run in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead and then increased their lead by adding three more runs in the second to make it 4-0. The Blazers responded with a big bottom half of the second scoring all five of their runs in the game as Abby Trahan drew a leadoff walk, but was forced out at second as May Hebert reached on a fielder's choice. The Blazers then had three consecutive singles by juniors Abby Mondy and Marissa Rice with Brittany Chetta scoring Hebert with her single. Mondy and Rice then scored as Marlee Blackwell hit a two-RBI double, her third double of the day, as Chetta scored on an RBI groundout by Elizabeth Taggard, tieing the game at 4 runs apiece. The Blazers then took a 5-4 lead as Blackwell scored on an RBI single by Allie Gordon.

The Cru regained the lead with four runs in the fourth inning including a three run home run from Korbyn Bassett. The Blazers battled throughout the remainder of the game, but came up short in the bottom of the seventh to seal the 8-5 win for the Cru.

Junior Hannah Finley got the start for the Blazers and pitched 1 and 2/3 innings allowing four runs on five hits with one walk and one hit-by-pitch. Junior Dallas Blaker pitched 1 and 1/3 innings and took the loss falling to 1-1 on the season. Blaker four runs on seven hits, while senior Kassie Shipley pitched four shutout innings in relief allowing one hit.

The Blazers are now 6-2 overall and 4-1 in ASC play and will faceoff against the Cru in the third game of the series on Saturday, February 29. The rubber match between the Blazers and the Cru is set to start at 12 p.m.

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