JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team split their season opening doubleheader against #4 ETBU on Friday taking the first game in walkoff fashion before falling in the second game to the visiting Tigers.

GAME ONE

The Blazers and Tigers had a back and forth battle in what was the season opener for both sides. It was the Tigers who struck first manufacturing a run in the top of the first inning off Belhaven pitcher Kennedy Carruth. The Blazers' starter immediately helped her own cause in the home half of the first though with a three-run home run that put BU up 3-1. 

ETBU would get a run back in the third inning on a solo homerun and evened up the game at 3-3 in the top of the fourth. Belhaven retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single from Natalie Parker and added a second run in the bottom of the fifth to lead 5-3. Despite another solo homerun from the Tigers it was Belhaven who led 6-4 going to the final inning. ETBU rallied late though, scoring a pair in the seventh inning to tie the game. 

Belhaven sealed the victory in the seventh though after Haley Hanson's double put a runner in scoring position early in the frame. Kennedy Carruth was able to move Hanson to third and Anna McNeer delivered the walk off single to give the Blazers their first win of the year. 

Kennedy Carruth took home the win going the distance and allowing five earned runs while racking up five strikeouts. Marlee Blackwell finished the game 2-4 at the plate with a run scored while Carruth also picked up a pair of hits and three RBI. 

GAME TWO 

In the second game of the day the visitors once again got off to a quick start picking up a run in the top of the first inning. The Tigers added three more runs in the second inning taking advantage of a pair of defensive errors by the Blazers.

ETBU added two runs in the fourth inning with a two-run homerun while also tacking on single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. 

Marlee Blackwell went 1-3 in the second game while Haley Hanson and Kennedy Carruth added Belhaven's other two hits in the matchup. 

Belhaven and ETBU will square off for the season win on Saturday at Jim McLeod Field. First pitch between the Blazers and Tigers is set for 11 AM.

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