JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven University Softball team finished off their opening weekend of American Southwest Conference play with a third game against the Hardin-Simmons University Cowgirls on Saturday, February 27 and the Blazers earned a series sweep with a 1-0 victory at Jim McLeod Field.

Both teams had scoring opportunities throughout the game including in the first inning as the Cowgirls had their lead off batter hit a single and advance to second on a sacrifice bunt, but could not advance past second base. The Blazers then had their own scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first inning as Marlee Blackwell hit a lead-off single and advanced to third on the next two subsequent plays, but she would not be able to cross the plate leaving the game scoreless after one inning.

Starting pitcher Bailey Root then started mowing down the Cowgirls as she only allowed two combined baserunners from the second through the fourth innings, with one baserunner caught stealing as Alayna Adams threw a potential baserunner out at second base in the second inning. Blackwell accounted for the only baserunner for the Blazers in the second and third innings as she hit a two-out double in the bottom of the third but did not advance beyond second base. The Blazers next best scoring chance came in the fourth inning as Allie Gordon and Kennedy Carruth hit back-to-back singles to start the inning, while both advanced to third and second respectively on a sacrifice bunt by Cade Bass. However two straight outs ended the scoring chance for the Blazers as the game remained scoreless through four innings.

The Cowgirls then had their best scoring chance in the top of the fifth as a single followed by a throwing error by the Blazers gave the Cowgirls runners on third and second with no outs. However the runner at third was out on a play at the plate on a fielder's choice eliminating the first scoring threat for the Cowgirls, while two consecutive outs left runners on second and third to end the inning.

The winning run for the Blazers came in the bottom of the sixth as Allie Gordon hit a one-out double and then advanced to third on a groundout by Kennedy Carruth. Gordon then scored as Cade Bass hit an infield single to give the Blazers a 1-0 lead. The Cowgirls would have one final opportunity to tie the game in the seventh as they hit a lead-off double off Bailey Root, but Kennedy Carruth was brought in for her first relief appearance for the Blazers and ended the scoring threat as she closed out the game with back-to-back strikeouts after a sacrifice bunt.

Bailey Root earned the win in the circle for the Blazers and improved to 2-1 on the season. The senior threw six shutout innings with four hits, three strikeouts, one walk, and one hit-by-pitch. Kennedy Carruth got her first save of the season with one inning of scoreless relief work with two strikeouts.

The Blazers improve to 7-2 overall and 3-0 in ASC play. The Blazers have won six straight ASC contests dating back to last season and have now won five straight games on the season. The Blazers will return to action as they host the Mississippi University for Women Owls on Tuesday, March 2. The doubleheader is set to start at 1 p.m.

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