The Belmont Abbey softball team gained a split in a doubleheader
with visiting Alderson Broaddus, winning the opener 5-0 behind a
strong pitching performance by Kayla Short, and dropped the second
game 8-4. The Abbey is now 5-15, while Alderson Broaddus is
3-6.
In game one, Short dominated Alderson Broaddus with five shutout
innings, scattering a pair of hits and striking out seven as she
earned the win. Danielle Puckett picked up the save after retiting
all six batters she faced over the final two innings, fanning
three. Puckett fired 24 pitches with 21 going for strikes.
Short received the only run she would need in the bottom of the
third as Carrie Markham blasted a leadoff homer to dead center for
her second round-tripper of the year.
One inning later, the Abbey pushed extended its lead to 3-0 as
Tara Ruebel led off with a single, moved to third on a double by
Short, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alysia Stewart. Markham
brought home Short on the next at bat with a single to right
center.
The Lady Crusaders closed the scoring in the bottom of the fifth
as they took advantage of a dropped fly ball off the bat of Gina
Antonucci that scored Markham and Stewart.
Belmont Abbey finished with seven hits as Markham went two for
two with two runs batted in.
In game two, the Abbey jumped ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the
first as Katie Hobbs singled home Antonucci, who led off the frame
with a walk. Dani Beres brought home Hobbs with a double to right
for a 2-0 Lady Crusader lead.
Alderson Broaddus would grab the lead for good by scoring four
runs in the third and fifth innings to grab an 8-2 lead. The Abbey
mounted a rally in the fifth by scoring a pair of runs on a Beres
double that plated Hobbs and Antonucci to cut the advantage to 8-4,
but that would be the final.
Kat Powell earned the win, as she gave up four runs on eight
hits in five innings. Markham took the loss after yielding four
runs, three earned, in four innings. She fanned two. Puckett struck
out five in two innings of relief, including three-straight with
the bases loaded. Short fanned two in an inning of work.
Both teams finished with eight hits as Beres and Hobbs both
recorded a pair, with Beres driving in three runs.
