Badgers Extinguished by Blazers, 3-0

Spring Hill College (5-13, 2-10 GCAC) opened a three-game conference series with Belhaven College on Friday evening and took a tough 3-0 loss from the Blazers.  Belhaven jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when first baseman Bryan Bennett drove in a run with a one-out RBI single and added their second run in the fourth when Bennett scored off a ground-out to shortstop.  The final run came in the sixth when Bennett scored again following a triple and a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Joe Scalzo.

Belhaven’s Brian Legnon (4-0) pitched seven full innings and allowed no runs while striking out eight Badgers.  The Badgers managed six hits off Legnon, but all of them were for singles and rarely with men on base.  Kyle Medley recorded his second save of the season, striking out pinch hitters Craig Lehman and Jared Bonvillian with runners on first and second in the ninth inning.

The Blazer pitching staff has not allowed a run in its last 39 innings of work.

Spring Hill starter Nick Clapper (2-2), who accepted the hard-luck loss, went 6.2 innings and gave up three earned runs off seven hits, a walk and six strikeouts.

At the plate, the Badgers were paced by catcher Billy Saliski with two hits while Bennett picked up three hits and an RBI for the Blazers.  BC second baseman King Blaze also added two hits for the home team.

The same two teams play again in a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.