Belhaven softball splits doubleheader at Maryville

JACKSON, Miss. (VDN) — The Belhaven Softball team split a road doubleheader at Maryville on Friday, rallying for a 9-6 win in game one before falling 3-0 in the afternoon game. The loss in game two snapped the Blazers’ 12-game winning streak and their 19-game win streak against CCS opponents dating back to last season.    

Game One – Belhaven 9, Maryville 6
Belhaven erased an early four-run deficit with a big third inning and added late insurance to secure the opener.

Maryville jumped out quickly, scoring two runs in the first on a pair of hits and adding two more in the second on back-to-back home runs to take a 4-0 lead.  

The Blazers answered in a big way in the third. Grace Langston sparked the inning with a bunt single before Melissa Lopera cut the deficit in half with a two-run home run to left. After a hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice extended the inning, Ellie Williamson delivered a two-run double to tie the game at 4-4.  

Belhaven kept the pressure on as Liberty Gillihandrove in a run with a double to left center, and Langston capped the inning with an RBI single to give the Blazers a 6-4 lead.  

Maryville responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run homer to tie the game at 6-6, but Belhaven’s pitching settled in from there.

After entering in the second inning, Macy Funderburk worked through several key moments. She escaped a fourth-inning threat with runners on base by inducing a flyout, then retired the side in order in the fifth to keep the game tied.  

Belhaven regained the lead in the sixth. Lopera singled and advanced into scoring position before Kaleigh Steverson delivered an RBI double down the left field line to make it 7-6.  

The Blazers added insurance in the seventh. Gillihan singled to start the inning and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. After a walk, Lopera came through again with an RBI single, and Reagan Bryan followed with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to 9-6.  

Funderburk closed it out in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the side to secure the win. She earned the victory with 5.2 innings in relief, allowing three runs while striking out four.  

Lopera led the offense with three hits, including the home run, and three RBIs. Gillihan added two hits and an RBI, while Langston collected two hits and drove in a run as part of an 11-hit effort.  

Game Two – Maryville 3, Belhaven 0
In the second game, Belhaven was limited offensively as Maryville recorded timely hits to take the series finale.

The Blazers had an early opportunity in the third when Reagan Bryan doubled and advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Maryville worked out of the inning to keep the game scoreless.  

Belhaven’s pitching staff kept the game tight through the middle innings. Gracey Harbour and Funderburk combined to strand multiple runners, including a fourth-inning sequence where a runner reached scoring position before a flyout ended the threat.

Maryville broke through in the fifth inning with a two-out RBI double to take a 1-0 lead.  

The hosts added to the lead in the sixth on a solo home run, then pushed across another run on a wild pitch to extend the advantage to 3-0.  

Belhaven moves to 28-8 on the season following the split. The Blazers will return home next Friday for a four-game homestand to wrap up the regular season.