PEARL, Miss. — The Belhaven baseball team defeated No. 25 East Texas Baptist 6-3 Friday evening at Trustmark Park, marking its second win of the season.
Belhaven took an early lead in the second inning. Hayden Roberts singled, stole second, and scored on a throwing error after a failed pickoff attempt. Chess Parker doubled and Austin Canale drove him in with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
The Blazers added two more runs in the third, capitalizing on Tiger errors. Nick Thornton drew a leadoff walk, and Jake McCann singled. Two throwing errors allowed Thornton and McCann to score, stretching the lead to 4-0. Owen Abney then reached on another error, scoring McCann for a 5-0 advantage.
Starting pitcher Cole Burton kept East Texas Baptist at bay, leaving runners stranded in the first and third innings. The Tigers scored in the fourth on a double by Nathan Harmon and an RBI single by Carter Nannini, trimming the deficit to 4-1.
Belhaven responded in the fifth. Abney singled and moved to third on a hit by Parker Ryan. Ryan stole second, and a throwing error allowed Abney to score, increasing the lead to 5-1. In the seventh, Ryan drew a walk, stole second, and scored on a single by Chess Parker to make it 6-1.
The Tigers mounted a rally in the eighth, with Harmon doubling to drive in a run and Justin Flannery adding an RBI single, bringing the score to 6-3. Caleb Menard kept the Tigers from scoring further, and John Wade closed the game in the ninth, striking out two batters for his first save of the season.
Burton earned the win, pitching five innings and striking out five. Relievers Cooper Sirk and Caleb Menard held the Tigers scoreless in relief. Parker and JD Weed led Belhaven offensively with two hits each.
The series continues Saturday with two games scheduled, starting at 11 a.m. Belhaven will look to extend its winning streak against the Tigers.
