Belhaven University Athletics

OXFORD, Ala. - The Blazers left no doubt.

After dropping its opening game of the CCS Tournament, Belhaven Softball ripped off five straight wins, capped by a pair of victories over Huntingdon on Saturday, to secure back-to-back CCS Championships at Choccolocco Park. The title run earns Belhaven the league's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament, with regional selections set to follow.

At the center of it all was tournament MVP Macy Funderburk, who delivered one of the most dominant pitching performances in conference tournament history. The junior went 5-0 across six appearances, tying the CCS record for wins while setting a new mark with 32.0 innings pitched. She finished the week with a 1.75 ERA and now stands 9-0 all-time in CCS Tournament games, earning MVP honors for the second consecutive season.  

Belhaven's championship run also featured five All-Tournament selections in Funderburk, Maryanna Guy, Maddie Bruner, Madeline Bullock, and Grace Langston.

Championship Series Game 1: Belhaven 10, Huntingdon 4
Belhaven carried its offensive momentum into the championship series and struck early in the opener.

In the first inning, Langston worked a leadoff walk and came around to score on an RBI single from Guy to give the Blazers a quick 1-0 lead.  

The Blazers broke the game open in the fourth. With runners on, Liberty Gillihan drew a bases-loaded walk before Bruner followed with an RBI single. Bullock added a sacrifice fly to cap a three-run inning and extend the lead to 4-0.

An even bigger swing came in the fifth. Belhaven pieced together five runs on four hits, highlighted by RBI singles from Guy and Steverson along with aggressive baserunning that led to multiple runs scoring on errors and stolen bases. The surge pushed the advantage to 9-0 and firmly shifted control to the Blazers.

Huntingdon answered with four runs in the bottom half, stringing together hits to cut into the deficit. With momentum beginning to swing, Belhaven turned to its bullpen, where Karley Rouse entered and limited further damage to keep the lead intact.

The Blazers added an insurance run in the sixth when Bryan's single and an error allowed Langston to score, and the defense closed the door from there to secure the 10-4 win.

Championship Series Game 2: Belhaven 5, Huntingdon 2
With the title on the line, the Blazers leaned on timely hitting and another dominant outing from Funderburk. Huntingdon struck first in the opening inning, but Belhaven answered immediately. Williamson delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 1-1.

The teams traded runs again in the second, as Bullock drove in Gillihan with a clutch two-out single to even the score at 2-2. Belhaven took control in the fourth. Dunbar sparked the inning with a single before Gillihan and Bruner followed with base hits. Bruner's RBI knock gave the Blazers the lead, and Bullock added another run with an RBI groundout to make it 4-2.  

From there, Funderburk took over.

After allowing two early runs, she settled into a rhythm, working out of key situations and limiting hard contact. The biggest moment came late, as Belhaven turned a double play in the seventh to erase a potential rally and preserve the lead. The Blazers added a final insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Bullock, pushing the margin to 5-2.  

Funderburk closed out the complete-game effort, securing her fifth win of the tournament and clinching the championship.

Belhaven's five-game surge through the elimination bracket showcased one of the most complete performances of the season. The Blazers hit .368 as a team with 63 hits and 49 runs across six games, while posting a 5-1 record with a five-game winning streak.  

Individually, Guy led the offense with an impressive .550 average and 11 hits, while Gillihan drove in nine runs and Bruner added five RBI with multiple extra-base hits. Langston set the tone at the top of the lineup, scoring 10 runs during the tournament.  

With the CCS Championship secured for the second straight season, Belhaven now turns its attention to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Blazers will await their regional destination and opponent as they continue their postseason run.

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