The Belhaven University baseball team defeated Millsaps College 15-10 Tuesday at Twenty Field, securing the Cowboy Maloney Series title for a seventh consecutive season and eighth overall, according to school officials.
The Blazers jumped ahead early. Blake McCarthy was hit by a pitch to start the game, and Brayden Thompson followed with a single. Austin Canale drove in the first run with an RBI single, and Owen Abney added another on a fielder’s choice, giving Belhaven an early 2-0 lead, sources said.
Millsaps responded in the bottom half with a run. Belhaven continued to apply pressure. In the third inning, Canale reached base and later scored on a double steal with Hayden Roberts, extending the lead to 3-1. The Blazers added another run in the fifth when Thompson singled and scored on a ground ball, making it 4-1, according to reports.
The Majors gained momentum in the middle innings, scoring four runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead. They added another in the sixth on a single and wild pitch, stretching their lead to 6-4. Belhaven’s pitching staff helped limit further damage, escaping additional trouble with a strikeout to strand runners, sources said.
Belhaven responded in the seventh. Canale drew a walk, and Roberts followed with a single. Abney delivered a two-run double to tie the game at 6-6. The Blazers’ bullpen held strong, keeping the game even into the late innings.
The game turned in the eighth when Belhaven scored nine runs. Marvin Jackson and Parker Ryan were hit by pitches to start the rally. A defensive error allowed two runs to score, and Roberts added a sacrifice fly. Abney contributed with an RBI single. With bases loaded and two hit-by-pitches, Ryan hit a grand slam to right-center, increasing the lead to 15-6, according to reports.
Millsaps made a late push, scoring four runs in the eighth and ninth innings. The Majors had the tying run on deck in the final inning, but Belhaven closed out the game with a ground ball for the final out and the series win. The Blazers have now won the series seven straight seasons and eight times overall, excluding 2021 when the rivalry was not completed, officials said.
Belhaven will continue conference play later this week with a three-game series at Huntingdon College. The team will play one game in Montgomery at 6 p.m. followed by a doubleheader Saturday. For updates, follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like Belhaven Athletics on Facebook.
