DECATUR, Illinois - The Belhaven University Softball team made school history on Thursday, May 20, by earning the first NCAA postseason victory with a 2-1 win over Millikin University in their opening game of the Great Lakes Regional as part of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship.

The Blazers had an early scoring chance in the first inning as doubled and then advanced to third base on a pass ball, but the Blazers could not find a way to push the run across and the game remained scoreless until the top of the third inning when the Blazers scored their two runs. Abby Trahan led off the inning with a triple, while Marlee Blackwell followed by drawing a walk. Elizabeth Taggard then hit a single scoring Trahan while Blackwell later scored as Anna McNeer drew a walk with the bases loaded to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.

The Blazers then retired 12 of the next 14 batters for Millikin as they could advance a runner past second base until the seventh inning when they scored their only run of the game on a solo home run. Millikin then followed that with a double; however, the next batter ground out to end the scoring threat and seal the 2-1 victory for the Blazers.

Kennedy Carruth got the start in the circle for the Blazers and improved to 21-3 overall with the win. Carruth pitched her 17th complete game of the season allowing one earned run on four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. The Blazers totalled five hits during the game as Marlee Blackwell, Elizabeth Taggard, Allie Gordon, Haley Hanson, and Abby Trahan all recorded one hit each. Taggard and Anna McNeer had one RBI each for the Blazers.

The Blazers are 31-10 overall and will play the Calvin University Knights on Friday, May 21. The action is set to start at 12 p.m.

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