staying power

The drama continues for Belhaven in the NAIA playoffs. The Blazers, who slipped into the loser’s bracket at Oklahoma City on Friday, stayed alive today with a 7-6, 12-inning win over Fresno Pacific. It was the third straight extra-inning, one-run game for Belhaven. The Blazers play again today against Oklahoma City in the championship round. Anthony Doss, who went 5-for-6, doubled in the go-ahead run in the 12th and Jon Patino made it stand up by throwing the third of his three scoreless innings in bottom half. Doss, Derek Tortorich and Tyler Wrinkle had two RBIs apiece for the 20th-ranked Blazers. … In the MACJC Tournament at Ellisville, host Jones County Junior College got yet another strong pitching performance — a five-hitter by Vito Perna, who also drove in a run — to defeat Holmes 6-1 in a winner’s bracket game today. The Bobcats, ranked 14th in NJCAA, will play the winner of a later game between Holmes and Northwest for the championship on Sunday. All three have earned spots in the Division II Region 23 Tournament next week at Goodman. … Meanwhile, William Carey’s season ended in the NAIA opening round on Friday; the Crusaders join Millsaps and Mississippi College as postseason duds. Also done is Meridian Community College, which went 2-and-out in the NJCAA Division I Region 23 Tournament in New Orleans. Delta State, which was ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II South Region poll, will learn Sunday if its season is over after a 1-2 showing in the Gulf South Conference Tournament. Eight teams get regional bids; the Statesmen are clinging to the proverbial bubble.