PEARL - The Belhaven Baseball team secured their first league series win of the year on Saturday, downing Piedmont 3-1 and 6-5 to take two of three in the series. Austin Canale came through with the walkoff single in the bottom of the 12th to win the decisive Game Three.

Game 1: Belhaven 3, Piedmont 1

The Blazers jumped ahead early, capitalizing on a Piedmont error to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Solid pitching from starter Colton Sylvester and a clutch save by Gunner Staten helped Belhaven hold on for a 3-1 victory.

Piedmont threatened in the sixth, cutting the lead to one, but Belhaven answered in the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Blake McCarthy, securing an important insurance run. Sylvester earned the win with a quality start, going 7.0 innings and allowing just one earned run while scattering six hits before Staten finished the game with a pair of scoreless innings on the mound.

Dathan Cummings and Parker Ryan each finished 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Blazers.

Key Performances

• JD Weed: 1--3, 2B, 2 R, SB
• Dathan Cummings: 2-4, SB
• Parker Ryan: 2-4
• Colton Sylvester (W, 3-1): 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 5 K
• Gunner Staten (S, 1): 2.0 IP, 0 H, 1 K

Game 2: Belhaven 6, Piedmont 5 (12 innings)

The two teams traded runs in the early going as the game was tied at two heading into the sixth. A run in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings for Piedmont put them in control late, but the Blazers roared back with a three-run rally, capped by a two-run double off the bat of Tristan Pearson.

After strong relief outings from Austin Canale, John Wade, Lane Alack, and Cooper Williams, Belhaven walked it off in the 12th when Canale delivered the walkoff single through the right side, plating Dathan Cummings from second base.

Canale, JD Weed, Pearson, and Hunter Harrell all finished with multi-hit games.

Key Performances

• Tristan Pearson: 2-6, 2B, 2 RBI
• Dathan Cummings: 2-3, 2B, 2 R
• Hunter Harrell: 3-6
• Cooper Williams (W, 2-0): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 0 R

Belhaven will look to win a third straight game on Tuesday when they travel across the street to Millsaps for Game One of the Cowboy Maloney Series. First pitch is set for 6:00 PM. 

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