JACKSON – The Millsaps Majors Baseball Team went into Smith-Wills Field on a chilly and rainy Tuesday afternoon as they had a chance to wrap up the Maloney Series with a win over the Belhaven Blazers. The Majors used a four run fifth inning and a terrific pitching performance by multiple pitchers to claim its fifth Con Maloney Series and sweep the season series over the Blazers, 4-1.
 
The game started with a pitching duel as sophomore Zander Romano got the start, pitching one inning before senior Alex Granier took over the next three innings. The two kept the Blazers off balance as they gave up a combined two hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
 
Belhaven starter Ryan Kassab was pitching well until the Majors struck in the fifth inning. Sophomore Kevin Wall led the inning off with a single to left and freshman Samuel Doucet put down a beautiful bunt on the right field line for a single. Senior Andrew Evans walked to load the bases up for junior Stephen Gates. The junior out of Cocoa, Fla. came through in the clutch again as he ripped a double in the left field gap to clear the bases and make it 3-0.
 
The Majors added another run one batter later as junior Wes Perkins laced a single through the left side to score Gates for his league leading 47th RBI of the season.
 
It was all the Millsaps' pitching staff needed as they rolled the rest of the way. Senior Ryan Zemke followed up Granier and pitched three innings while allowing one run in the eighth off two hits while striking out three.
 
Perkins came on in the eighth for the first time since his freshman season as he was looking for the two inning save. Perkins put the Blazers down in order in eighth before returning in the ninth and pitching out of a tough jam with two runners on, one out, and the tying run at the plate. He got a line out followed by a strike out to end it and bring the Con Maloney Trophy back to Millsaps.
 
Granier picks up his third win of the season, all coming against Belhaven as he goes to 3-0 on the year. Gates led the way offensively, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored while freshman Keith Shumaker and Doucet each went 2-for-4 on the day.
 
It is the Majors fifth Con Maloney Series, which leads the All-Time Series with Belhaven coming in second with four and Mississippi College with two. It is Millsaps' first Con Maloney Series win since 2009.  Millsaps finishes with a 4-2 record in the Con Maloney Series with Belhaven and Mississippi College tied for second at 2-3. The two will meet next week.
 
The Majors improve their overall 24-12 and have one series remaining in the regular season as they travel to Birmingham for the weekend to take on the Birmingham Southern Panthers. First pitch is set for Saturday at 1 p.m.