PEARL, Miss. – The W baseball found itself playing from behind early in a 5-1 loss to Belhaven University at Trustmark Park. The Owls are now 2-2 on the year and the Blazers are 1-0.
 
MUW starter Chris Ellis (1-0) gave up two runs in the first inning of his 2.0 innings of work, allowing three hits and a walk. He was followed by reliever JB Crumpton, making his debut for the Owls, who also went 2.0 innings and permitted one earned run, along with two hits.
 
Up 3-0 after three frames, Belhaven was kept quiet until the seventh thanks largely to 2.0 scoreless innings by senior righty Josh Mackey, the third man in the MUW "pitching committee". Will Carter got the final two innings of the night, permitting two runs in the seventh.
 
As the Blazers amassed a 5-0 cushion, The W's offense was never able to punch through. Perhaps the visitor's best opportunity came in the top of the seventh, as MUW loaded the bases with no one out and trailing just 3-0 at the time.
 
Chase Marshall drew a leadoff walk and Zach Johnson followed with a single through the left side. Bryson Barnes also walked and it looked like the Owls were in business. However, the next three MUW batters went strikeout, infield pop-up, and fly out, to quell the team's hopes.
 
The W's lone run of the day was a solo home run by Barnes, a junior thirdbaseman, with one out in the ninth. It was the first homer of the season for both Barnes and the Owls' team as a whole.
 
MUW's Nos. 2-5 batters had five of the team's six hits for the contest. Senior designated hitter Baron Brack was the only Owl with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a double from the number two slot in the order. Marshall, Johnson, and Barnes followed with one hit each, respectively. Marshall had a two-out double in the first, that extended his hitting streak to all four games of the season, thus far.
 
The W will play three games this weekend in the LaGrange (Ga.) College Tournament. The Owls will open versus Endicott College on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Central Time.