Millsaps snaps five-game streak with big win over Belhaven, 14-3

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Belhaven's Brandon McHenry held the Majors to just six hits in game one allowing the Blazers (33-13) to take game one 9-1.

Millsaps got their only run of the first game in the bottom of the seventh inning, with two outs, when Drew Leonard walked and stole second to get in scoring position for Ryan Zemke to drive him in with a single up the middle.

Elliot Varney went four innings in the loss, allowing three runs off eight hits. He walked three and struck out three in 24 batters faced.

Coach Page mixed the lineup for the second game, trying to breathe a little life back into his listing team and the shakeup clearly worked as Millsaps fired back in game two, scoring in all but one inning of the seven inning game.

Ryan Zemke started the game with a leadoff walk that was followed by a Stephen Gates single past the shortstop. Will Hawkins drove in Zemke with a single through the same gap Gates found for his first of seven RBIs. Andrew Evans hit into the second out, but it was enough to score Gates from third and put Hawkins in his place. The senior was able to waltz home thanks to a wild pitch that got past the Blazer catcher to put Millsaps up 3-1 going into the second.

The Majors did not trail the rest of the way. The scoring continued with a solo shot to left from Hawkins in the third before the game exploded in the fourth. Three straight singles to lead the inning chased Kiel Higginbotham from the game and loaded the bases for Gates. The fourth single of the inning plated Will Lawrence for the first run.

Drew Respess got a two-RBI double to center that scored Trey Rountree and Drew Leonard. The third Blazer pitcher of the inning, Nick Meekins gave up a two-RBI single to Will Hawkins to clear the bases. A bean ball to Andrew Evans put Hawkins in scoring position for Josh Ordeneaux who drove in the Majors' sixth run of the inning with the score 10-1 with Millsaps in the driver's seat.

Three more insurance runs in the fifth and another in the sixth were enough to keep the Blazers from rebounding, although they did get single runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to set the final of game two at 14-3.

Hawkins ended the game with seven RBI off four hits and he crossed home himself three times, including the solo homerun in the third.

Equally as impressive on the mound, Jason Riggins shut down the Blazer offense in his five innings of work. The senior allowed just three hits with two strikeouts in 19 batters-faced. Riggins retired 11-straight batters between the second and fifth innings. His only "mistake" came with a hit batter in the fifth that gave Belhaven their first base runner in four innings.

The Majors will hope to carry their new-found momentum into this weekend's critical series with Southwestern University. The Majors must win one of the two games remaining if they want to lock up a spot in Millington at the SCAC tournament next week.

Game one with the Pirates is slated for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday with game two to follow at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.