CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team captured their first victory in the American Southwest Conference Tournament against the Hardin Simmons University Cowgirls by a final score of 6-1. With the win, the Blazers improve to 35-5 on the season.

The Blazers came out firing on all cylinders in the bottom of the first as Marlee Blackwell hit a leadoff single and Ellie Jones brought her home with a 2-run home run to right field to make the score 2-0 after one complete inning. After a scoreless second inning, the Cowgirls scratched across their only run of the game off of a throwing error by the Blazers to bring the score to  2-1. 

The Blazers nor the Cowgirls did not score in the next two innings, but the Blazers scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the 6-1 lead. Marlee Blackwell reached on a fielder's choice that scored Anna McNeer in plate the first run of the inning. Haley Hanson placed a perfect sacrifice bunt down to the pitcher that scored Abby Trahan for the second run of the inning. Allie Gordon then came up to bat and roped a RBI single up the middle and Ellie Jones drove in the last run of the inning on a RBI double to make the score 6-1.

Belhaven's defense held strong for the rest of the contest as the Green and gold secured a spot in the winner's bracket with a 6-1 victory over the Hardin Simmons University Cowgirls. 

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Kennedy Carruth ( W, 21-2): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 5 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Ellie Jones: 2-3, HR (7), 2B, 3 RBI, R
Marlee Blackwell: 1-3, RBI
Allie Gordon: 1-3, RBI, R
Abby Trahan: 1-3, R

The Blazers will return to action on Saturday, May 6 in the winner's bracket of the American Southwest Conference Tournament against the East Texas Baptist University Tigers in Cleveland, Miss. First pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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