By Billy Watkins
Belhaven faced an uphill climb after surrendering three runs in the first inning to defending national champion Trine (Ind.) University Thursday evening and lost 7-5 in the opening round of the Division III championship finals in Salem, Va.
Coach Kevin Griffin’s seventh-seeded Belhaven squad, 42-11, will play the loser of Thursday night’s late matchup between Simpson and Mount Union at 5:30 (central time) Friday in an elimination matchup.
Macy Funderburk, who has been one of the best pitchers in Division III this season with a 20-5 record entering the game, lasted just three batters as Trine built a 2-0 lead. Karley Rouse took over for Funderburk.
Trine, 39-6 and the No. 2 seed, led 5-1 after two innings, 6-3 after four and 7-3 after five.
Belhaven fought to rally in the seventh. Reagan Bryan led off with a single. Maryanna Guy doubled to right, scoring Bryan. With two out, Melissa Lopera singled to make it 7-5. But Trine’s Debbie Hill struck out her ninth Blazer to end it.
Hill pitched five innings, allowed four runs, none earned and two walks.
Hill and Tyra Marcum make up a potent duo in the batting order. They had two hits and two RBI each. Hill hit her 17th homer. Marcum has 16. Each of them now has 54 RBI. Hill is batting .429, Marcum. .423.
Rouse pitched six innings and allowed six hits, four runs, three earned.
Kaleigh Steverson led Belhaven with a double, two singles, an RBI and a run scored. Grace Langston added two hits and a run scored. Guy, Lopera, Bryan, Liberty Gillihan and Lauren Dunbar each had a hit.
This is the Blazers’ second trip to the finals. They reached the championship game in 2024.
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