JACKSON, Miss. - The Belhaven Softball team battled to an impressive doubleheader sweep of the Maryville Scots on Saturday as the Blazers outlast the visitors in an 11-inning, rain-delayed thriller 3-2 before rallying from behind in the second game of the day to win 9-5.

GAME ONE

The first game of the conference doubleheader started off as a pitcher's duel as two of the best in the conference, Kennedy Carruth and Megan Ackerman, kept both teams scoreless through the first five frames. Kennedy Carruth was sharp in the circle racking up double digit strikeouts once again as she made her 17th start of the season.

It was the Scots who found the first breakthrough after a two-out baserunner reached and set up a two-run homer that gave Maryville the lead in the top half of the 6th inning. That seemed to be a decisive play as Maryville kept Belhaven off the board in the home half of the frame and took their 2-0 lead into the 7th.

Anna McNeer led off the inning with a walk and came around to score the first run of the game for Belhaven as Macy Ziskin delivered an RBI double. Then, with one out in the frame, Taylor Heaton delivered a pinch hit single that advanced Macy Ziskin. Ziskin would eventually tie the game on the play after an obstruction call was made and she was awarded home plate. 

The two teams would head to the 8th inning and during the top half of the frame, weather would push the contest into a length delay with play not resuming until after 2:30 PM. In extras, both teams were held off the board with the game continuing into the 11th inning. 

In the 11th, Sydney Runnels put down a sacrifice bunt to open the frame which moved the winning run up to third base. Then, Anna McNeer executed a critical squeeze bunt that scored Ellie Jones, the baserunner, and gave Belhaven the walk off win.

GAME TWO

The second game of the doubleheader would progress in very different fashion from the first as Maryville got the scoring started early with a two-run frame in the top of the 1st. The Scots would then add a run to their lead in the top half of the 2nd inning before the Blazers were able to get on the board with a run of their own in the bottom half of the same frame.

In the bottom of the 3rd, the Blazers grabbed a run on an RBI double by Kennedy Carruth before Macy Ziskin handed Belhaven their first lead of the game with a 3-run homer that put BU in front 5-3.

Maryville was quick to answer as they picked up two runs in the top of the 4th and brought the game back level at 5-5 as the contest headed to the 5th inning. Belhaven would break the game open in the 5th inning as Madison Miller delivered a two-RBI single to reinstate the Belhaven lead. Belhaven then tacked on a run on May Hebert's bunt single before Allie Gordon's fielder's choice put the Blazers on top 9-5, the final scoreline. 

The Blazers will now look to their final conference series of the regular season as they travel to Berea next weekend. The Blazers and Mountaineers are set for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 22nd.

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