The Belmont Abbey softball team was swept in a doubleheader at tenth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne this afternoon at Bears Field, falling 5-3 in the opener and 8-0 in five innings in the second game. The Abbey is now 5-19, while Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 20-3.

In the opener, Lenoir-Rhyne grabbed the early lead by scoring two runs in the second, but the Abbey matched it one inning later to knot the game at two on one swing of the bat. Gina Antonucci drew a one out walk and came home on a homer to left by Dani Beres.

L-R regained the lead by scoring one in the fourth, but the Abbey answered in kind once again in the top of the fifth, as Katie Hobbs reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a Beres single, and scored on a L-R error off the bat of Tara Ruebel to tie the game at three. Lenoir-Rhyne would push two across in the fifth to re-take the advantage at 5-3, which would be the final score.

Noel Belk earned the win in a complete game effort, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits. She struck out four and walked two. Kayla Short took the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits in four and one-thirds innings. She struck out two.

Beres finished three for three with two runs batted in. Alysia Stewart and Carrie Markham had one hit apiece.

In the game two, the Bears scored single runs in the first, third and fourth innings, and added five more in the fifth as the game ended after that inning.

Sarah Atkins earned the win after holding the Abbey to one hit over five scoreless innings, striking out five and walking three. Danielle Puckett was charged with the loss after giving up eight runs, four earned, on eight hits in four and two-thirds innings. She struck out three.