Belhaven University Athletics

JACKSON, Miss. - Belhaven is one win away from Salem.

The Blazers opened the NCAA Division III Softball Jackson Super Regional with a 5-1 win over Wisconsin-Oshkosh on Thursday morning at Jim McLeod Field, using an early three-run first inning and a complete-game effort from Macy Funderburk to take control of the best-of-three series.

With the win, Belhaven improves to 41-10 on the season and needs just one victory in the next two games to advance to the program's second-ever NCAA Division III World Series.

The Blazers wasted no time getting started. Grace Langston opened the bottom of the first with a single down the left-field line before Reagan Bryan followed with a double to center. Maryanna Guy then worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

Ellie Williamson brought home the first run with a sacrifice fly to left, and Kaleigh Steverson followed with a ball that forced a throwing error, allowing Bryan to score. Melissa Lopera capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Guy and giving Belhaven a 3-0 lead.

From there, Funderburk settled in.

The junior retired the first nine batters she faced and kept UW-Oshkosh off the board through five innings. The Titans put a runner in scoring position in the fourth after a leadoff single and sacrifice bunt, but Funderburk answered with a strikeout and a flyout to center to strand the runner.

Belhaven added to the lead in the fifth after Maddie Bruner doubled to right-center and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Langston. After Guy drew her second walk of the game, Williamson came through again with an RBI single through the left side to make it 4-0.

UW-Oshkosh broke through in the sixth with three hits, scoring its lone run on an RBI single, but Funderburk limited the damage by getting a strikeout looking to end the inning with two runners stranded.

The Blazers answered right back in the bottom half. Lopera singled to start the inning, Dunbar moved her over with a sacrifice bunt, and Liberty Gillihan delivered an RBI double to left center to stretch the lead to 5-1.

Funderburk finished the job in the seventh, retiring the Titans in order with two flyouts and a lineout to third.

She earned the win after allowing just one run on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks across seven innings. Williamson led the offense with two hits and two RBI, while Bruner added two hits and a double. Bryan, Gillihan, and Bruner each recorded extra-base hits as Belhaven finished with eight hits in the win.

Belhaven will look to close out the series Friday at Jim McLeod Field and punch its ticket to the NCAA Division III World Series. Game two is scheduled for 1:00 PM.

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