CLINTON, Miss. – The Belhaven Baseball team continued its hot streak on Thursday, taking down Piedmont in the series opener by a score of 6-4. The Blazers have now won eight in a row and sit at 11-9 (4-0 CCS) on the season.

Piedmont got the scoring started with a solo homer in the 2nd inning. After the Blazers' bats went quietly through the order once, Belhaven evened the ballgame in the 4th on an Owen Abney RBI groundout.

The Lions answered with another solo shot in the top of the 5th to retake the lead. The Blazers would have an answer of their own in the home half of the 6th. A perfectly executed safety squeeze bunt by Nick Lucido scored the tying run. Abney broke the tie a batter later as his sharply hit single scored Hunter Estes from second base.

With the Blazers clinging to a 3-2 lead in the 8th, Hunter Estes laid down a bunt single that was thrown away at the first base bag, allowing Dawson Albin to cross home plate. Two batters later, Abney delivered two huge insurance runs with his first career home run, a no-doubter over the left-center wall.

Piedmont was able to push two runs across and bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but Logan Goodreau induced a flyout to right fielder Kyle McLaughlin to earn the save and give the Blazers a 6-4 victory.

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Luke Miller (W, 1-0): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 K
Will Swift: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 K
Logan Goodreau (S, 2): 0.2 IP

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Owen Abney: 2-4, HR, 4 RBI, 1 R
Kyle McLaughlin: 2-3, SB

Game 2 of the series is set for 2:00 PM tomorrow at Frierson Field as the Blazers will look to clinch another CCS series win. 

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