BROWNWOOD, Texas - The Belhaven Softball team took both ends of their Monday doubleheader against Howard Payne University with a 3-1 win in the opener and a 7-0 shutout victory in the second game of the day.

GAME ONE

In the first game of the day the Blazers fell behind early to the Yellow Jackets on an RBI single in the bottom of the 2nd inning. The stout Belhaven offense was held scoreless through the first five innings of the contest with the Blazers trailing 1-0 heading into the final two frames.

In the top of the 6th inning the Belhaven bats came to life with Allie Gordon smashing her fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot, to put Belhaven in front 2-1 going into the 7th inning. In the top of the 7th Belhaven added a run for insurance on an RBI single from Haley Hanson that scored Jordan Kanipe and Kennedy Carruth iced the game in the home half of the 7th with a quick final inning.

Carruth was stellar in the circle in the first game of the day racking up 14 strikeouts which is a new season-high and ties her career-high set last season against Berry College. 

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Kennedy Carruth (W, 9-0): 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 14 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Allie Gordon: 2-4, HR (5), 2 RBI, R
Haley Hanson: 2-3, RBI, R
Sydney Runnels: 1-2, BB

GAME TWO

The Blazers followed up the first game of the day with an offensive clinic in the second contest with the runs starting in the top of the 3rd inning. Kennedy Carruth opened the scoring with an RBI double in the 3rd inning and the Blazers then added two more in the 5th inning when Allie Gordon grabbed an RBI triple which Carruth immediately followed with an RBI double. 

Leading 3-0 going into the 6th inning the Blazers tacked on four more started by a solo homer from May Hebert, her first of the season. With two runners on in the same inning Carley Ingle then hit a sac fly to center fielder that scored Macy Ziskin and Natalie Parker. Allie Gordon then capped off the inning with another RBI base hit putting Belhaven up 7-0 heading into the final inning. 

Following a scoreless six inning start from Gracey Baucom, Dallas Blaker was able to slam the door shut in the final frame to extend the Belhaven win streak out to 13 games. 

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Gracey Baucom (W, 3-1): 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
Dallas Blaker: 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Allie Gordon: 2-4,  3B, 2 RBI, R
Kennedy Carruth: 2-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Haley Hanson: 2-4, 2B
May Hebert: 1-2, HR (1), RBI

The Blazers and Yellow Jackets will square off in the series finale on Tuesday with first pitch set for 12 PM.
 

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