crunch time

Belhaven has stalled a bit since its roaring start and faces a big series against league rival Auburn-Montgomery at Smith-Wills Stadium this weekend. After starting 10-3, the 15th-ranked Blazers are now 15-9 and just 4-5 in the Southern States Athletic Conference. Anthony Doss is still raking: .398 with 23 runs and 20 RBIs. Bud Britt is batting .354. But as a team, BU is hitting just .273 with no other regulars over .300. The Blazers have an excellent staff ERA of 3.07, but they’d like to see more consistency from starter Allen Johnson (2-4, 6.03) and closer Josh Clarke (6.43 ERA, with five saves). The Blazers are slated to play a single game today and a doubleheader on Saturday. UAM, ranked 13th in NAIA, is 16-9 and 7-2 SSAC.
P.S. Charles Epperson (.405, four homers, 11 RBIs) and Kendall Logan (.405, 2, 12) have been sizzling for Jackson State, which hosts Alabama State in a SWAC series at Braddy Field this weekend. The Tigers are 6-6, 2-1 in the league. … Mississippi College plays its first American Southwest Conference series this weekend. The Choctaws (6-8) face Texas-Tyler (12-3) today and Saturday (twinbill) at Frierson Field in Clinton. UT-Tyler was the preseason favorite in the ASC East. … The injury bug has struck Mississippi State hitting stalwarts C.T. Bradford and Daryl Norris. The latter reportedly could be out for an extended period.