PEARL, Miss. - Belhaven's postseason run came to a close on Monday morning, falling to Piedmont 14-4 in the CCS Championship Game at Trustmark Park. The Blazers, who entered the day ranked No. 14 in the NPI, will now await a potential at-large selection to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
Belhaven had opportunities early, putting runners on in each of the first two innings, but couldn't break through.
Piedmont capitalized in the second and swung the game with a five-run inning. A leadoff double and a run-scoring single got things started before a sacrifice fly made it 2-0. A miscue in the field allowed another run to score, and a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded pushed the lead to four. Another sacrifice fly capped the inning and gave Piedmont a 5-0 advantage.
Belhaven worked to limit further damage after the big inning. The Blazers turned a key double play in the fifth to get out of a jam after Piedmont put two runners on, but the deficit continued to grow in the middle innings as the Lions added single runs in the third and fourth.
Belhaven found some life in the fifth.
Jake McCann and
Hayden Roberts opened the inning with back-to-back singles, setting the table for
Austin Canale, who drove in a run with a double down the line. A sacrifice fly from
Nick Thornton brought home another, and an error allowed a third run to score, trimming the deficit to 7-3.
It was the Blazers' best stretch offensively and briefly shifted momentum.
But any momentum was short-lived as Piedmont answered in the bottom half. A pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt set up a two-run single to extend the lead back to 9-3. Later in the sixth, a sequence of run-scoring hits, capped by a two-run home run, broke the game open at 13-3.
Belhaven again had traffic to work with earlier in the inning, but couldn't convert, and Piedmont took full advantage.
The Blazers scratched across one more run in the seventh.
Blake McCarthy worked a walk and came around to score on an RBI double from
Trey Smith, making it 13-4. Piedmont added one final run in the bottom half to bring the game to its final margin.
Belhaven finished with eight hits, with Roberts and Smith each collecting two. Canale added an RBI double, while Thornton and Smith each drove in a run. Despite consistent traffic on the bases, the Blazers were unable to string together enough hits early to keep pace.
Belhaven used multiple arms in the championship matchup, working to navigate a deep Piedmont lineup. After the early five-run inning, the staff managed stretches of clean outs, including key moments to limit further damage, but Piedmont's timely hitting throughout the middle innings proved to be the difference.
Belhaven's run through the CCS Tournament included multiple elimination game wins and a return trip to the championship series for the second straight season. Now, the Blazers turn their attention to the NCAA Division III Tournament selection process. With a strong overall resume and a No. 14 NPI ranking entering the day, Belhaven will wait to see if its season continues at the regional level.
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