May 20, 2011

GULF SHORES, Ala. – (Box Score) Belhaven (Miss.) (46-10) scored in five of six innings to take down Minot State (N.D.) (30-11) 5-3 on day two of pool play action at the 2011 NAIA Softball National Championship.

Sarah Burns improved to 37-7 in the circle for the Lady Blazers, while the Belhaven bats put up single tallies in each inning but the second. Burns struck out 10 and allowed three runs on six hits in the complete game effort. Mandy Greenberg (17-7) took the loss after giving up four earned on 10 hits in six innings of work.

Jen Dixon hit a RBI-double and Deanna Mitchell smoked a two-run home run for the Beavers in the third inning to stake the team to a 3-1 lead over Belhaven, but the Lady Blazers’ lineup slowly but surely reclaimed the lead.

Christina Jaques singled home Jessica Paris in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3, and the winning run came in the bottom of the fifth, when Rachel Wright’s single down the left-field line scored Emily Tucker.

Jaques finished 3-for-3 with 2 RBIs for Belhaven, while Rian O’Bannon and Katie Sanders each went 2-for-3.

Kyla Thiesen finished 2-for-4 for the Beavers and Mitchell finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Belhaven moves to 2-0 in pool play action, while Minot falls to 0-2. Belhaven will face Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Saturday at 3 p.m. CDT and Minot State will battle Bellevue (Neb.) at 10 a.m.

Southern States Athletic Conference teams are 6-1 thus far in pool play action. The 31^st Annual event is taking place at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

For the complete schedule, click here.