DEMOREST, Ga. - The No. 8 ranked Belhaven Baseball team built an early lead behind a strong offensive showing but could not hold off a late surge, falling 22-10 to Piedmont on Friday afternoon at Loudermilk Field in game two of a three-game series.  

Belhaven moves to 17-6 on the season as the Lions used a decisive sixth inning to pull away in a game that featured offense on both sides.

Belhaven jumped out in front right away in the first inning as Nick Thornton launched a solo home run to give the Blazers a 1-0 lead.  

Piedmont answered with a two-run inning in the bottom half, but Belhaven responded immediately with its best offensive stretch of the day in the second.

After a walk, JD Weed delivered a two-run home run to put the Blazers back in front. Later in the inning, Austin Canale added an RBI single before a sacrifice bunt from Blake McCarthy brought home another run, extending the lead to 5-2.  

The Blazers continued to apply pressure in the third and fourth innings.

In the third, Belhaven capitalized on a defensive miscue as Chess Parker singled and a throwing error allowed a run to score.

An inning later, Owen Abney delivered a two-run home run after a leadoff double from Hayden Roberts, pushing the advantage to 8-3.  

Belhaven's offense stayed productive in the fifth as Canale drove in another run with a single to make it 9-8 after Piedmont had chipped away in the bottom half.  

Piedmont continued to respond, tying the game in the fourth with a five-run inning and evening it again at 9-9 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly.

Belhaven briefly regained the lead in the sixth when Hayden Roberts connected for a solo home run to make it 10-9.  

The game turned in the bottom of the sixth.

After a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, Piedmont strung together multiple hits and took advantage of several defensive miscues. A mix of RBI singles, walks and errors allowed the Lions to score 13 runs in the inning, flipping a one-run deficit into a 22-10 lead.  

Belhaven was unable to recover after the extended inning.

Belhaven will look to salvage the series finale on Saturday as the Blazers wrap up the three-game set against Piedmont.

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