The Belhaven baseball team has found a new home for the upcoming season, which begins next month.
The Blazers, who compete in the Division III Collegiate Conference of the South, will now take the field at Trustmark Park in Pearl. The professional stadium was announced Friday as the home field for the Jackson college’s baseball team.
Trustmark Park, which seats just shy of 8,500 fans and is the former home of the MiLB’s Mississippi Braves, recently was taken over by the Mississippi Mud Monsters of the Frontier League. To make the venue change possible, Belhaven reached an agreement with the Mud Monsters to share the field as practice schedules for both teams may overlap.
“We are excited to partner with Belhaven to give them a world-class facility,” Mud Monsters General Manager Andrew Seymour said. “Belhaven is a top-notch private university with over 140 years of history and we’re glad to partner with them.”
The Belhaven baseball team has been venue-hopping since 2020 and most recently played in Smith-Wills Stadium, the former home of the MiLB’s Jackson Mets. Even without a stadium on campus, the program has experienced success with five consecutive winning seasons.
Trustmark Park will be open to the Blazers for practices, games, and showcases year-round. The 2025 season begins on Feb. 14 with a home series against Mount Saint Mary. The team will get a chance to become acquainted with their new field through preseason practices and an exhibition against Hinds Community College on Feb. 1.
Belhaven’s season would go through May 18 if the team were to win the Division III College World Series. Otherwise, the 2025 campaign would likely end during the CCS Baseball Championship, set to take place between April 30 and May 3. The Mud Monsters’ inaugural season begins at home on May 8.
“I am thrilled that our baseball players can play and train in this top-flight stadium, and I know our fans and alumni will especially appreciate the community engagement of the Mississippi Mud Monsters,” Belhaven President Dr. Roger Parrott said. “I’m impressed with the new team’s top leadership and believe their desire to bring people together will be contagious for the Jackson area.”
