JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven University Softball team played host to the Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets in a doubleheader in American Southwest Conference play on Friday, March 19. The Blazers took game one, 2-1, while the Yellow Jackets took game two, 5-3.

GAME ONE

Neither team scored until the fifth inning as the Blazers plated a solo run in the bottom half with Anna McNeer drawing a lead-off walk and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Marissa Rice. McNeer later scored in the inning on a single by Abby Trahan to give the Blazers a 1-0 lead. However, the Yellow Jackets tied the game with a solo run in the top of the sixth, but the game did not stay tied for long as Elizabeth Taggard needed one swing of the bat to give the Blazers a lead as she hit a solo home run, her second of the season, to give the Blazers a 2-1 lead. The Yellow Jackets got a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, but a fielder's choice followed by two strikeouts sealed the 2-1 win for the Blazers.

Kennedy Carruth got the start in the circle for the Blazers and improved to 8-2 overall in her eighth complete game of the season. Carruth gave up one run on three hits with two walks and 13 strikeouts. Marlee Blackwell, Elizabeth Taggard, Macy Brabham, and Abby Trahan accounted for the Blazers four hits during the game, while Taggard and Trahan had one RBI each.

GAME TWO

The Yellow Jackets got the scoring started early in the second game of the day as they plated solo runs in the first and second inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Blazers. However, the Blazers tied the game with a pair of runs in the third inning as Macy Brabham hit a lead-off single to get the Blazers going. Brabham later advanced to second on a single by Marlee Blackwell and then scored on a single by Elizabeth Taggard, while Taggard later scored on a double by Kennedy Carruth knotting the game at two runs apiece.

The Yellow Jackets regained the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth, while the Blazers cut the lead down to one with a solo run in the bottom half of the inning. Abby Trahan drew a walk to start the inning for the Blazers and then later scored on a double by Kennedy Carruth making the score 4-3. The Yellow Jackets added their final run in the top of the sixth and then allowed the Blazers only two baserunners in the final two innings to get the 5-3 win.

Bailey Root got the start for the Blazers and dropped to 3-2 overall. Root pitched her third complete game of the season allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits with five walks and three strikeouts. Kennedy Carruth had three hits, all doubles, in the game while Marlee Blackwell and Elizabeth Taggard had two hits each with Cade Bass and Macy Brabham adding one hit apiece as the Blazers had nine hits during the game. Carruth had two RBI while Taggard had one RBI during game two.

The Blazers are now 14-5 overall and 6-2 in ASC play and will finish up their series against the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, March 20. First pitch is set for 11 a.m.

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