COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Belhaven Softball team opened up their first day at the NFCA D3 Leadoff Classic on Friday with a pair of wins over Top 25 ranked opponents. Belhaven, who was ranked #18 entering the tournament by NFCA, took down #1 DePauw University 4-1 in the first game of the day before taking the backend of their doubleheader with an extra innings walkoff win against #16 Trine University. 

GAME ONE

In the opening game of the weekend for Belhaven they squared off against #1 DePauw University and would have to come from behind early in the game. The Tigers, who were the home side in the contest, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on a sacrifice bunt.

Both teams would settle in during the middle portion of the game with Belhaven pitcher Kennedy Carruth shutting down the Tigers offense from the first inning onward. It would be the top of the 5th inning when the Blazers would start to generate momentum at the plate and Belhaven would go on to tie the game at 1-1 on a sac fly from Sydney Runnels that scored Ellie Jones from third base.

Belhaven would jump in front in the top of the 6th inning after Ellie Jones reached base on an error and Kennedy Carruth, along with Haley Hanson, came in to score on the same play putting the Blazers on top 3-1. The Blazers added an insurance run in the top of the 7th inning on a sac fly from Haley Hanson that scored Macy Ziskin. Kennedy Carruth then polished off her 6th win of the season with a three up, three down frame in the home half of the 7th inning. 

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Kennedy Carruth (W, 6-0) - 7.0 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 12 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Ellie Jones: 1-3, R
Macy Ziskin: 1-2, BB, R
Abby Trahan: 1-2, BB

GAME TWO

Belhaven would follow up their win over #1 DePauw immediately with a matchup against #16 Trine University. The Blazers and Thunder battled in a tight pitcher's duel that saw both teams silenced at the plate for the majority of the game. 

Blazers' starting pitcher Gracey Baucom was crafty in the circle able to get out of an early first inning jam with bases loaded unscathed. Baucom once against kept the Thunder off the board with bases loaded in the top of the 2nd inning and from there was stellar limiting Trine to no more than one runner in any inning the rest of her outing. 

Meanwhile the Blazers threated on multiple occasions late including having two runners reach in the bottom of the 7th of what was a 0-0 game, but each time it was the Thunder pitcher who was able to escape without a run scored. 

Belhaven turned to Kennedy Carruth as the game went to extra innings and the Blazers' pitcher made quick work of Trine getting the visitors in order in both the top of the 8th and top of the 9th innings. In the bottom of the 9th it was Abby Trahan who delivered the walk off winner as the Blazers' left fielder dropped down a squeeze bunt that scored Allie Gordon from third to give Belhaven the 1-0 win.

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Gracey Baucom - 7.0 IP, 7 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Kennedy Carruth (W, 7-0) - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 3 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Abby Trahan - 1-4, RBI
Allie Gordon - 1-4, R
Ellie Jones - 1-3

The Blazers return to action on Saturday in Columbus as they take on #17 Berry at 9 AM followed by a matchup against MIT at 11 AM. 

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