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.