The No. 20-ranked Belhaven softball team earned an 8-0 and an 11-0 victory over Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon. The wins marked head coach Kevin Griffin’s 500th career win, making him the all-time winningest coach in Belhaven softball history, according to school officials.
Belhaven improved to 20-7 overall, scoring 19 runs on 18 hits while allowing just five hits across the two games. The Blazers controlled the action from start to finish, delivering dominant performances on both sides of the ball.
In the first game, Belhaven took an early lead with a key third-inning rally. Maddie Bruner reached on a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on Melissa Lopera’s RBI single. The Blazers extended their lead with a six-run fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Grace Langston and Reagan Bryan’s two-run double. Kaleigh Steverson capped the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth, sealing the 8-0 shutout.
Karley Rouse pitched four scoreless innings, scattering two hits and inducing a double play to escape early trouble. AR Sharp closed the game with a strikeout, sealing the shutout. Steverson led with two hits and a home run, while Langston and Bryan each drove in multiple runs.
The second game saw Belhaven jump out to an early lead, with Maryanna Guy delivering a two-run single in the first inning. The offense exploded in the second, with an eight-run outburst highlighted by a three-run triple from Steverson and a steal of home by Ellie Williamson. The Blazers added one more run in the third and maintained their dominance, winning 11-0.
Macy Funderburk pitched four innings, allowing only one hit and striking out nine. Harbour finished the game in relief, working around two hits to preserve the shutout. Offensively, Lopera and Bryan each had multi-hit games, and Steverson drove in three runs.
The Blazers will continue conference play next Saturday at Covenant in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. Officials encourage fans to follow @BelhavenBlazers on Twitter and Instagram and support the team through the Team Green Giving initiative.
