MARSHALL, Texas — The Belhaven baseball team opened NCAA Regional play Friday afternoon but fell to Rhodes, 14-6, at East Texas Baptist University. The loss sends the Blazers into an elimination game Saturday morning against Concordia (Texas).
Rhodes struck first with a two-run homer in the top of the opening inning. Belhaven responded quickly, with Nick Thornton leading off with a single and Austin Canale reaching base. Trey Smith drove in a run with an RBI groundout, and JD Weed added a two-out RBI single, tying the game at 2-2 after one inning.
The Lynx regained the lead in the second with a solo homer, then broke the game open in the fourth. Rhodes loaded the bases and scored multiple runs with timely hitting, including a two-run homer that increased their lead to 8-2. They added another run in the fifth to make it 9-2.
Belhaven rallied in the sixth, with Canale, Weed, Hayden Roberts, and Owen Abney each driving in runs. A wild pickoff attempt allowed another run, trimming the deficit to 9-6. The inning showcased consistent hitting from the Blazers, who also forced Rhodes into stressful innings early on.
However, Rhodes responded in the top of the seventh with a bases-loaded two-run single and later a wild pitch that added another run. The Lynx capped their scoring with a solo homer in the eighth. Belhaven threatened late but could not mount a comeback against Rhodes’s bullpen.
The Blazers finished with eight hits, with RBI hits from Canale, Weed, Roberts, and Abney in the sixth inning. Despite their offensive efforts, Belhaven left multiple runners on base and struggled to sustain momentum.
Belhaven now prepares for an elimination game against Concordia (Texas) on Saturday at 11 a.m. CST. The winner advances to face another elimination contest later that evening at 6 p.m., as the team continues its postseason run.
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