Belhaven University Athletics

PEARL, Miss. - Belhaven's offense showed up in a big way with its season on the line.

Facing elimination, the Blazers broke the game open early and never let up, defeating Maryville 10-2 on Sunday at Trustmark Park to punch their ticket to the CCS Championship Series for the second straight season. Belhaven collected 15 hits and scored in four different innings, backing a strong start from Gunner Staten to keep their postseason run alive.

Maryville struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Belhaven didn't take long to answer. In the second, Parker Ryan doubled and came home on an RBI double from Trey Smith to even things at 1-1.

The Blazers then took control in the third. After a leadoff out, Nick Thornton worked a walk and Austin Canale followed with a double to put two in scoring position. Hayden Roberts brought in the go-ahead run, and Owen Abney added an RBI single to extend the lead. Moments later, JD Weed lifted a sacrifice fly to cap a three-run inning and make it 4-1.

Belhaven kept the pressure on in the fourth with another big inning. Thornton reached again, and Canale put the ball in play to create traffic. Roberts delivered an RBI single, and Abney followed with a two-run double to push the lead to 7-1. The Blazers' ability to string together quality at-bats forced Maryville to work from behind the entire afternoon.

With a lead to protect, Staten handled the middle innings well. Maryville put together a threat in the fourth with multiple baserunners, but Staten worked out of it with a strikeout to end the inning. In the sixth, the Scots picked up a run and moved a runner to third after a passed ball, but Staten limited further damage to keep the lead intact.

The sophomore went six innings, allowing two runs while scattering six hits and keeping Belhaven in control.

Belhaven put the game away in the seventh. Ryan opened the inning with a triple, and Weed followed with an RBI double to extend the lead. After a groundout moved the runner, Jake McCann added an RBI single, and Blake McCarthy capped the inning with an RBI double down the line to make it 10-2. That stretch gave the Blazers breathing room and allowed the bullpen to close things out.

Logan McNamara and Brandon Rhodes combined to toss the final three innings, allowing just two hits and keeping Maryville off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Belhaven's staff stranded multiple runners late, including working out of a two-on situation in the eighth to maintain the eight-run advantage.

McCarthy led the way with three hits, while Ryan, Canale, Abney, and Smith each turned in multi-hit performances. Abney finished with three RBIs, and Roberts and Weed each drove in two.  

With the win, Belhaven advances to the CCS Championship Series for the second consecutive season. The Blazers will return to Trustmark Park on Monday vs. Piedmont looking to continue their postseason run with a conference title on the line.