April 21, 2010

Story courtesy of Belhaven Sports Information

MOBILE, Ala. - Sixth-ranked Belhaven (Miss.) dropped the opener 9-4, but rebounded in the second game with a 4-0 win at No. 23 Mobile (Ala.) on Tuesday. Despite the loss in the first game, Britney Webb broke the NAIA single-season stolen base record with three stolen bases in game one. The Blazers clinched the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship with the second game shutout. Belhaven is now 44-6 overall and 11-3 in the GCAC, while Mobile slipped to 32-17, 11-5.

Game One
The Rams took control of game one in the bottom of the first inning by racking up eight runs on eight hits. Belhaven finally got on the board in the top of the fifth when Jessica Eggold walked with the bases loaded to bring in pinch runner Kayla Maldonado. The Blazers got another run in the sixth on a RBI groundout by Katie Sanders. Mobile added one more run in the sixth inning and led 9-2 heading into the seventh.

The Blazers recorded their last two runs of the game in the seventh inning on a Christian Jaques RBI and a Mobile error. Belhaven fought back, but it was not enough as Mobile came out on top 9-4.

Eggold led the Belhaven offense and went 1-for-2 at the plate with one RBI followed by Jaques and Sanders who each drove in a run. Desiree Truett had a huge game for Mobile going 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI.

Salina Cervantes pitched one inning for the Blazers, allowing five hits and four runs. Rebecca Rousseau put in five innings of work in game one and suffered her third loss of the season, allowing six hits and five runs, while striking out five to fall to 11-3. Leslie Pickette picked up the win for the Rams striking out one with only one run and five hits allowed.

Game Two
Belhaven jumped on the board in the top of the first inning thanks to an Eggold triple to left field and Jaques brought her in with a base hit to right field for the early 1-0 advantage.

In the third frame, Ansley hit a single to center field to plate Eggold extending the lead to 2-0. Belhaven's defense locked out Mobile throughout the entire game and the Blazers earned their last two runs of the game in the top of the fourth. Sanders hit an RBI triple deep down the right-field line scoring Rachel Wright. Kayla Maldonado came in to pinch run for Sanders and scored on a single to right center by Webb.

Sarah Burns pitched a complete game shutout for the Blazers, giving up four hits and fanning 11, to improve to 22-3. Burns leads Belhaven with a total of 181 strikeouts in the 2010 season. Victoria Buie suffered the loss for Mobile, giving up four runs on five hits.

Offensively, the Blazers were led by Jaques' 3-for-4 performance, including a RBI, at the plate. Webb, Ansley and Sanders each drove in a run.

The Blazers will return to action at home Thursday in a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader against Spring Hill College (Ala.) at Freedom Ridge Park. The first pitch of the twin bill is slated for 3 p.m.