JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team will be looking to build in 2022 coming off of one of the best seasons in program history in the spring of 2021 which saw the team take the ASC regular season title, host the ASC tournament and compete in their first ever NCAA tournament. Belhaven also spent a large portion of the season inside the NFCA Top 25 climbing as high as 6th and finishing the year in 19th. 

Belhaven's 2022 season is headlined by a roster that features numerous returning players and the team will be facing one of the toughest schedules in the history of the program. The Blazers are returning five All-Conference players from last season in Kennedy Carruth, Allie Gordon, Marlee Blackwell, Anna McNeer and Haley Hanson. 

Here's how the 2022 schedule breaks down for the Blazers...

FEBRUARY - The Blazers open up their 2022 season hosting ASC tournament winners ETBU in a three-game series on February 11th and 12th. They will then host Millsaps in a non-conference game on February 15th before returning to ASC action with a three-game set against Concordia (TX) on February 25th and 26th at home.

MARCH - Belhaven will kick off the month of March in the NFCA Leadoff Classic where they will compete against other top programs in the country with six games across three days. On March 4th they will face DePauw and Trine before seeing Berry and MIT on March 5th. The Blazers will close out the tournament in Columbus, Ga. against St. John Fisher and Illinois Wesleyan on March 6th. Belhaven will then head back to Jackson on March 9th to face Millsaps before a trip to Brownwood, Texas for a series against Howard Payne on March 14th and 15th. Conference play will then return home on March 18th and 19th to face Sul Ross before a non-conference midweek game against Birmingham-Southern at home on March 21st. Belhaven will close out March in Belton, Texas against UMHB on March 25th and 26th. 

APRIL - On April 1st and 2nd the Blazers will face McMurry on the road in Abilene, Texas before heading to Longview for a series against LeTourneau on April 8th and 9th. The Blazers will return home to host Hardin-Simmons on April 14th and 15th before a trip to Clarksville, Ark. on April 22nd and 23rd to square off against Ozarks. The Blazers will close the regular season at home against UT Dallas on April 29th and 30th with the ASC Tournament set to take place May 5th-7th. 

Head Coach Kevin Griffin on the 2022 season...

"This will be the most challenging schedule that we have played since our NAIA years. With several top 10 programs on tap for the Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., along with programs like ETBU and Mary Hardin Baylor, we've done a good job of creating a strong strength of schedule to get us ready for a competitive season."

Belhaven is also returning 2021 NFCA DIII First Team All-American pitcher Kennedy Carruth who finished the year as the best pitcher in the American Southwest Conference in her first season at BU and among the best in the country. 

Coach Griffin on the 2022 Belhaven Pitching Staff...

"Our pitching staff will be as deep as we've been in my 12 years here.  Everyone knows what Kennedy Carruth brings to the circle, but we have a talented pitching staff who will open some eyes nationally this year and next year.  I don't worry too much about our pitching. We've just got to hit and score runs so they don't feel like they have to shut everyone out."

Coach Griffin on the high expectations for the year...

"Our players expect to win. They know all about the history of our program.  We have an obligation to our University to continue to be the program that keeps people talking about Belhaven on a national level."

To view the 2022 schedule in full click here. 

For the latest news on Belhaven Blazers athletics, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.