The Belmont Abbey softball team was swept in a doubleheader by visiting Southern Wesleyan this afternoon at Crusader Field. The Abbey dropped the first game 12-1 in five innings and fell 13-9 in the nightcap. Southern Wesleyan is now 2-0, while the Abbey falls to 2-4.

Game one was a pitcher's duel until the fourth inning when Southern Wesleyan scored the first run of the game on a Christy Hudson double to right center that scored Breanna McMillan. The Abbey matched that run in its half as Tara Ruebel doubled home Michelle Primm, who opened the frame with a walk.

One inning later, Southern Wesleyan blew the game open by scoring 11 runs on five hits and taking advantage of three Lady Crusader errors as it sent 15 batters to the plate.

Belmont Abbey did not score in the bottom of the inning as the contest ended there. McMillian earned the win after allowing an unearned run on one hit in four innings. She struck out three and walked a pair. Kayla Short took the loss after giving up five runs on six hits in four and one-thirds innings.

The second game opened with Southern Wesleyan scoring the game first seven runs, plating three in the first and second innings and one in the third. Belmont Abbey answered with three in the third, using RBI singles from Short and Katie Hobbs and an RBI groundout by Dani Beres.

Southern Wesleyan answered with two in the fourth to extend the lead to 9-3, but the Abbey closed within three after plating three in the fourth, all coming with two outs. Primm doubled home Gina Antonucci, who had earlier singled, followed by an infield single by Beres that scored Hobbs, who scored when Beres stayed in a rundown long enough for Hobbs to cross the plate.

After a four run sixth inning by Southern Wesleyan, the Abbey pushed three across in its half to close within 13-9. Danielle Puckett opened with a double to the gap in left center, and moved to third on Primm's double. Hobbs brought home Puckett with a single, and Beres followed with a sacrifice fly to right that plated Primm, who moved to third on Hobbs's single. Short followed with a single that scored Hobbs to close the scoring.

Ashley Barber earned the win after allowing six runs, three earned, on nine hits in three and two-thirds innings. She struck out three and walked none. Teran Spearman picked up the save after working the final three and one-thirds innings, giving up four runs on three hits. Carrie Markham took the loss. She allowed nine runs, seven earned, on 11 hits in four innings.