MARSHALL, Texas - The Belhaven Baseball team (4-3) split Saturday's doubleheader at 10th-ranked East Texas Baptist (3-6), falling in the opener by a final of 3-0 before taking the series finale, 5-3.
Game One: Belhaven 0, East Texas Baptist 3
The first game of the day proved to be a pitcher's duel as Belhaven starter
Austin Canale and Tiger starter Matthew Krall matched scoreless frames until the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back singles followed by an error allowed the Tigers to plate the first run of the game.
The Blazers responded with a pair of two-out hits from
Parker Ryan and
Hayden Roberts in the fifth but were unable to push the tying run across. ETBU added two runs in the home half of the sixth before retiring Belhaven in order to finish out the scheduled seven-inning contest with a 3-0 win.
Despite the loss, Canale (0-1) scattered four hits across 4.0 innings while striking out two.
Game Two: Belhaven 5, East Texas Baptist 3
In the third game of the series, the Blazers flipped the script with a strong offensive start. In the top of the second, a walk and a single led to an RBI single off the bat of
Austin Canale to drive in the first run of the game.
Thomas Hollingsworth drove in
Tristan Pearson a batter later with an RBI groundout to give Belhaven a 2-0 lead.
ETBU cracked the scoreboard in the fifth against Blazer starter
Kade May with a two-out RBI infield single. A leadoff double from Pearson and a walk to Canale in the seventh led to a run-scoring groundout by
Hayden Roberts to push the lead back to two at 3-1.
The Tigers answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning before loading the bases against reliever
Gunner Staten. The freshman southpaw came through by inducing a flyout to center to end the inning with Belhaven in front 3-2.
ETBU scratched the tying run across in the eighth, but the Belhaven bats once again answered the bell. A leadoff walk to
Blake McCarthy and a bunt single from Pearson was followed by a sacrifice bunt from Canale to put runners at second and third with one out.
Hollingsworth delivered with a two-run single up the middle to put the Blazers ahead 5-3 heading into the Tigers' final at-bat. Two-way player
Trey Flettrich entered on the mound to retire the side in order to secure the Top-10 road win.
Key Performers
Thomas Hollingsworth: 2-for-7, 3 RBI, game-winning hit in Game 2
Tristan Pearson: 3-for-7, 3 R, 1 2B, key offensive catalyst in Game 2
Hayden Roberts: 2-for-6, 1 BB, reached base multiple times
JD Weed: 2-for-5, 1 HBP, 1 SB
Austin Canale : 1-for-5, 1 RBI (Game 2); 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 2K (Game 1)
Kade May: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K (Strong start in Game 2)
Trey Flettrich: 1.0 IP, 1 K (Save in Game 2)
Belhaven returns to action on Tuesday when they host MUW at Trustmark Park. First pitch against the Owls is set for 4:00 PM.
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