JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven University Softball team finished their series against the University of the Ozarks with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 2. The Blazers earned a series sweep of the Eagles by winning both games taking game one, 8-0, and game two by a final of 9-1.

GAME ONE

The Blazers wasted no time in scoring with a big four-run first inning as Marlee Blackwell hit a lead-off single followed by Elizabeth Taggard being hit by the pitcher. Kennedy Carruth then followed up with a single scoring Blackwell, while Taggard and Carruth scored on a double by Allie Gordon who advanced to third on a throwing error. Gordon then scored on a sacrifice fly by Cade Bass giving the Blazers a 4-0 lead.

The Blazers plated two more runs in the third inning as Allie Gordon smashed a solo home run, her third of the season, to get the scoring started. Haley Hanson later hit a two-out single and then stole second and advanced to third. Hanson later stole home increasing the Blazers lead to 6-0. The final two runs for the Blazers came in the fifth inning as Allie Gordon once again started the scoring with a solo home run, her second of the game and fourth of the season, while Cade Bass sealed the 8-0 victory as she crushed a solo home run for her fifth of the season.

Bailey Root got the start in the circle for the Blazers and improved to 5-2 overall. Root pitched five scoreless innings allowing three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Allie Gordon's 3-for-3 performance lead the Blazers offense that tallied nine hits as Haley Hanson added two hits, while Marlee Blackwell, Kennedy Carruth, Cade Bass, and Anna McNeer added one hit each. Gordon also led the Blazers with four RBI, while Bass had two, and Carruth had one during the contest.

GAME TWO

The Blazers once again started the scoring off in the first inning by plating three runs as Marlee Blackwell hit another lead-off single to get the Blazers started. Allie Gordon then drew a two-out walk, while Blackwell then scored on a single by Cade Bass. Gordon and Bass then scored on a double by Haley Hanson giving the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

The lone run for the Eagles came in the top of the third inning cutting the Blazers lead to 3-1, while the Blazers increased the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning. Elizabeth Taggard doubled to start the inning and then advanced to third on a single by Kennedy Carruth. Taggard and Carruth then scored on a double by Allie Gordon giving the Blazers a 5-1 lead.

The final four runs came in the bottom of the sixth for the Blazers as Alayna Adams reached on a fielding error to start the inning and then Macy Brabham was brought in as a pinch runner. Abby Trahan then singled advancing Brabham. Elizabeth Taggard then took one swing of the bat and blasted a three-run home run, her fourth of the season, scoring Brabham and Trahan. Kennedy Carruth followed that with a double and Elizabeth Platt was brought in as a pinch runner. Allie Gordon then drew a walk while Platt then scored on a single by Haley Hanson sealing the 9-1 victory and the series sweep for the Blazers.

Kennedy Carruth got the start for the Blazers and improved to 12-2 overall and picked up her eleventh complete game of the season. Carruth allowed one earned run on four hits with seven strikeouts. The Blazers offense tallied 11 hits in the contest as Elizabeth Taggard, Kennedy Carruth, and Haley Hanson had two hits each while Marlee Blackwell, Allie Gordon, Cade Bass, Anna McNeer, and Abby Trahan had one hit apiece. Hanson and Taggard had three RBIs each, while Gordon had two, and Bass had one RBI during the contest.

The Blazers improve to 20-6 overall and 12-3 in ASC play and will return to action with a road series against the University of Texas at Dallas Comets with a doubleheader on Friday, April 9, at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., followed by a single game on Saturday, April 10, starting at 12 p.m.

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