The Belhaven baseball team extended its winning streak Saturday, sweeping Maryville in a doubleheader at Trustmark Park. The Blazers improved to 17-3 overall and 3-0 in the Collegiate Conference of the South.
Belhaven won the first game 7-3, jumping out to an early lead. The Blazers scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from Owen Abney and a sacrifice fly by Chess Parker. A wild pitch later in the inning scored another run, giving Belhaven a 3-0 lead.
Maryville scored an unearned run in the second, but Belhaven’s pitching kept the Scots in check. Starter Cole Burton pitched five strong innings, allowing one run. The Blazers added two runs in the fifth, with Abney reaching on a throwing error and Parker adding an RBI single. Maryville threatened late, cutting the lead to 5-3 in the eighth, but Wyatt Buratt delivered a two-run single to extend the lead. The Blazers’ bullpen closed out the game, with Christian Corona earning the save.
In the second game, Belhaven rallied from an early deficit to win 5-3. Maryville took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but Belhaven responded in the third with an RBI single from Abney. The Blazers took the lead in the fifth with a two-run inning driven by an error and an RBI hit-by-pitch from Braydon Evans. They added an insurance run in the seventh on an RBI single by Evans.
The Scots scored once in the ninth and loaded the bases, but John Wade struck out the final batter for his fifth save of the season. Starter Kaleb Smith earned the victory, with the bullpen allowing just one earned run over the final four innings. The series featured strong pitching and timely hitting from Belhaven, which scored in eight different innings across the three games.
Belhaven will continue conference play next week, traveling to Piedmont for a three-game series from Thursday through Saturday. The team aims to carry its momentum into the heart of CCS action.
Follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram, and like Belhaven Athletics on Facebook for updates. Supporters can also contribute through Team Green Giving.
