JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team faced off against the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Cru in their series finale of ASC play with the Cru earning an 8-4 victory to claim the series on Saturday, February 29.

The Cru got on the board early with a pair of runs in the first inning, then added two more runs in the third, and three more runs in the fifth for a 7-0 lead over the Blazers. The Blazers got on the board with three runs in the bottom of the fifth as junior Keirra Fair drew a leadoff walk in a pinch hit appearance. Fair advanced to second on a single by senior Marlee Blackwell, and then scored on a double by junior Elizabeth Taggard. Blackwell and Taggard then scored on a two-RBI double by sophomore Haley Hanson making the score 7-3.

The Cru added a solo run in the top of the seventh to increase their lead to 8-3, while the Blazers added their final run in the bottom half of the inning as Blackwell hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a fielding error. Sophomore Elizabeth Platt came into pinch run for Blackwell as Taggard was hit by a pitch, while sophomore Allie Gordon singled to load the bases for the Blazers. Platt then scored on an RBI groundout by Hanson, and the Blazers rally was then cut short with back-to-back outs to seal the 804 victory for the Cru.

Senior Bailey Root got the start for the Blazers and picked up her first lost of the season. Root pitched 2 and 1/3 innings four runs, one earned, on six hits with three strikeouts, and one hit-by-pitch. Senior Kassie Shipley and junior Dallas Blaker both pitched 2 and 1/3 innings of relief work in the game. Shipley allowed three runs, all earned, on three hits with two strikeouts, while Blaker allowed one earned run on hit with two strikeouts with one walk.

The Blazers fall to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in American Southwest Conference play and will return to action on the road to face off against the Hardin-Simmons University Cowgirls with a doubleheader on Friday, March 6, at 5/7 p.m., and a single game on Saturday, March 7, starting at 12 p.m.

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