MARSHALL, Texas - The Belhaven Softball team got their rain-delayed run at the Division III Women's College World Series underway on Friday, splitting their contests as they took down Case Western Reserve in the first game before falling to ETBU in a winner's bracket game on Friday evening.

GAME ONE

Belhaven got off to a strong start on Friday in their opening game of the week, originally scheduled for Thursday evening, as they took down Case Western Reserve 5-2 behind a one-hit effort from Kennedy Carruth.

The Blazers took an early lead against the Spartans as they struck for three runs in the 3rd inning. The first run came on an RBI hit from Anna Caime, which scored Jordan Kanipe, and was followed by an RBI knock from Mary Moore Widemire. Caime then scored on a passed ball to cap off the inning.

After a couple of quiet frames, Allie Gordon added a pair of runs to the Belhaven lead on a two-run homer to center field in the 6th. Case Western Reserve pulled a pair of runs back in the bottom half of the 6th but Kennedy Carruth shut down the Spartans' rally and helped lead Belhaven to the win.

Top Performances

Kennedy Carruth (W, 27-4): 7.0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 12 K
Allie Gordon: 1-4, HR, 2 RBI
Mary Moore Widemire: 1-3, RBI
Anna Caime: 1-4, RBI, R

GAME TWO

The win pushed the Blazers into a winner's bracket contest against ETBU on Friday evening. Once again Belhaven took an early lead as Allie Gordon hit her second home run of the day, this time a solo shot in center field in the 1st inning.

After a quiet 2nd inning, ETBU took the lead in the top of the 3rd with a pair of runs but an error in the bottom half of the frame would let the Blazers answer immediately. The Tigers then picked up a run in the top of the 4th to take a 3-2 lead that they would hold for the remainder of the game.

Top Performances

Kennedy Carruth (L, 27-5): 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Allie Gordon: 1-3, HR, RBI, 2 R
Sarah Stockstill: 1-3

The Blazers will now flip to the other side of the bracket following the loss to ETBU. Belhaven will face Tufts, the 8th ranked team in the World Series, in an elimination game on Saturday at 11:00 AM. The winner of that game will then face off against Linfield on Sunday.

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