CLINTON, Miss. – Down 10-3 heading into the bottom of the 7th, Belhaven erupted for nine runs in their final two at-bats to defeat Piedmont 12-10 on Friday afternoon at Frierson Field. The Blazers (12-9, 5-0 CCS) have now won nine straight and have taken their first five CCS contests.

Piedmont struck first on the opening pitch of the game on a solo homer off the batter's eye in centerfield. The Lions added another run in the second after three straight singles.

The visitors plated their third and fourth runs on their second home run of the day to take a 4-0 lead in the 3rd. The Blazers battled back in the bottom half after loading the bases with no one out. Hunter Estes delivered a two-run single to left before Nick Lucido drove in a third Belhaven run with a sacrifice fly. 

Piedmont continued to swing hot bats in the 4th as the Lions put four on the board courtesy of a grand slam. Two more crossed the plate in the 5th on a two-run base hit.

The bottom of the 7th proved to be a turning point in the ballgame. With Piedmont seemingly in control and looking to even the series, the Blazers' bats got going. Dawson Albin roped an RBI double before Lucido singled in a run to cut the lead to five. 

With two outs in the frame, a walk and an HBP made it 10-6. Kyle McLaughlin came through with an infield single to score another and bring the Blazers within three. A wild pitch plated Belhaven's 8th run of the game as the momentum clearly shifted to the side of the Blazers.

After reliever Colton Sylvester pitched a flawless 8th, Caleb Whittle opened the home half with his first home run of the season to cut the lead to just one. Albin followed that up with a solid single. After a sac bunt moved Albin to second, Lucido tied things up with a line drive double down the right field line. 

Preston Conlee got into the hit column with an infield single. With the go-ahead run now just 90 feet away, Nathan Herron delivered an RBI single to give Belhaven an 11-10 lead with just one out in the 8th. After Piedmont made a call to the bullpen, James Muse slashed another hit to left to score the 4th run of the inning. 

Sylvester continued his strong relief outing, retiring the first two in the 9th before a pinch-hit single brought the tying run to the plate. Sylvester was able to finish things off with a backwards K to secure a come-from-behind 12-10 win over the Lions. 

Sylvester was credited with the win after going 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two. 

BELHAVEN PITCHERS

Harris Coleman: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 1 K
Riley Weber: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 1 K
Noah Whatley: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 K
Colton Sylvester (W, 2-0): 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K

BELHAVEN BATTING LEADERS

Dawson Albin: 2-4, 2B, RBI, 3 R
Hunter Estes: 2-3, RBI, R, BB
Nick Lucido: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
James Muse: 2-3, 2B, RBI, BB
Caleb Whittle: 1-3, HR, RBI, 3 R, 2 BB

The Blazers will look to complete their second consecutive sweep to open CCS play tomorrow in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM at Frierson Field. 

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