Concordia edges Belhaven to end Blazers’ baseball season at Marshall Regional
MARSHALL, Texas — Belhaven’s baseball season ended Saturday morning with a 12-8 loss to Concordia (Texas) in an elimination game at the NCAA Division III Marshall Regional, according to school officials.
The Blazers finished with a 31-15 record, marking their second straight NCAA Regional appearance and their third postseason trip in recent years. Belhaven also reached the CCS Championship Series for the second consecutive season and was ranked as high as No. 4 in the D3baseball.com Top 25 this spring.
Concordia took an early 2-0 lead with a home run in the second inning. Belhaven responded with a big inning, fueled by singles from JD Weed and Jake McCann and a three-run double from Austin Canale that gave the Blazers a 4-2 advantage.
The Tornados answered in the third with a solo homer and later tied the game on a passed ball. In the fourth, Concordia took control with a leadoff homer and a three-run blast, extending its lead to 8-4. Brandon Rhodes came in to help limit further damage, retiring the final two hitters of the inning.
Belhaven chipped away at the deficit with a solo home run from Hayden Roberts in the fifth. The Blazers made their biggest push in the seventh, loading the bases with singles and walks. Roberts and Chess Parker drew bases-loaded walks, and Owen Abney’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to 10-8.
Despite facing elimination, Belhaven continued to fight. Rhodes pitched 4.2 innings of relief, helping keep the game within reach. The Blazers turned two double plays late, including one in the eighth that kept the score at 10-8. Concordia added two insurance runs in the ninth to seal the victory.
The season concludes for Belhaven, which won 31 games, earned a second straight NCAA Tournament berth, and spent much of the spring ranked among Division III’s top teams. The program also earned multiple individual honors, including four First Team All-Conference selections.
Belhaven now looks ahead, aiming for continued success in upcoming seasons. Fans can follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for updates. Supporters are encouraged to check out Team Green Giving to help sustain the program.
Source: Original Article
