sweeping up

Belhaven and Emmanuel put on an award-worthy drama in three acts at Smith-Wills Stadium. Belhaven swept the Southern States Athletic Conference series, winning each game in its last at-bat. Jaime Bruno hit a walk-off grand slam on Friday night, and the Blazers scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. It was a big sweep for BU, now 29-12 and 13-8 in the SSAC. In Saturday’s opener, the Blazers saw ace closer Josh Clarke blow a save in the seventh but showed some remarkable spunk thereafter. Tied 4-4 in the bottom of the 10th, the third extra frame, Clay Bonds squeezed home Tyler Wrinkle with the game-winner. BU fell behind 6-0 in the fourth inning of Game 2 and trailed 7-6 heading to the bottom of the 10th. But Wrinkle led off with a double, Dillon Berry singled and then errors by the visiting Lions enabled the Blazers to score the tying and winning runs. A little Smith-Wills magic must have been at work. BU is now 21-4 at home. … Delta State, in need of some magic, swept a pair on the road against NCAA Division II defending national champion West Florida. The Statesmen (19-8, 6-5 Gulf South Conference) got outstanding pitching from Aaron Newcomb and Colton Mitchell in the 8-1 and 8-2 sweep. Jonathan Andrews had the team’s first five-hit game of the 2012. DSU goes for the series sweep today at Pensacola, Fla. … Surging Millsaps swept a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference twinbill at Centre as Wes Perkins posted five hits and four RBIs on the day. The Majors have won seven of nine and stand 4-1 in the SCAC and 17-10 overall. … And there was some broom work done in Raymond on Saturday, as well, with Hinds Community College blowing away Mississippi Gulf Coast 6-0 and 17-5 in an MACJC South Division doubleheader.