Box Score MARSHALL, Texas – The Belhaven Baseball team fell, 5-2, to East Texas Baptist University in its season opener on Friday night. 
 
It was the Blazers who took an early lead in the contest off the bat of Caleb Whittle who delivered a solo home run in the first Belhaven at-bat of the year. Blazers' starter Brett Sanchez delivered a pair of scoreless innings in the home halves of the first and second inning to keep BU in front. 

Belhaven would tack on a second run in the top of the third inning, but the Tigers were quick to respond on a solo home run in the bottom half of the frame.
 
East Texas Baptist would go on to add to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning putting up three runs in the frame on a couple of hits and a Belhaven defensive error. In the top of the sixth the Blazers threatened to answer but were unable to cut the deficit, stranding a pair of runners on base. 

The hosts added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning to take the 5-2 advantage and held on for the conference win. 
 
Belhaven starter Brett Sanchez went five innings in the game allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out six. At the plate Caleb Whittle finished the day 1-2 with a home run and a pair of walks while Kyle McLaughlin and Hunter Estes each picked up a hit on the night.

The Blazers and Tigers will face off in a double-header tomorrow that will decide the series with the games slated to begin at 1 PM and 4 PM in Marshall. 

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