The Belmont Abbey softball team was swept in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader by the visiting Erskine College Flying Fleet, falling 9-0 in five innings in game one and dropping game two 7-4. Erskine improves to 11-14-1 overall and 3-1 in Conference Carolinas, while the Abbey drops to 10-12 overall and 4-2 in Conference Carolinas.

In the opener, Erskine moved ahead 2-0 in the top of the first with two unearned runs. Kayla Vinson reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by Larissa Shannnon. Courtney Davis made the lead 2-0 when she singled home Lindsey LaPrad.

Neither team scored in the second and the Fleet widened its lead to 5-0 in the third after they scored three times, two coming on a homer by Shannon and the other on an RBI single by Jocelyn Smith.

That was all of the scoring until the fifth when Erskine ended the game with four runs, three coming on a blast by Courtney Davis and the final run coming on a single by Kelly Davis.

Heather Richey earned the win after throwing a no-hitter, striking out three in five innings. Kim Anders took the loss after she yielded five runs, three earned, on seven hits in three innings of work.

In game two, the Abbey drew first blood in the first as Erin Evans ripped a leadoff single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Anders and to third on a groundout by Carol-Anne Sherrill. She scored when Anna Smart reached by error to give the Crusaders a 1-0 lead.

Erskine responded with five runs in the top of the second as Courtney Davis blasted a two-run homer, while Vinson and Kelly Davis contributed RBI singles and Smith lifted a sacrifice fly that scored Morgan Purcell.

Belmont Abbey got one back in the third as Evans led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout by Anders. Sherrill followed with a double that scored Evans easily to cut the Fleet's advantage to 5-2.

Erskine extended its lead to 7-2 with a pair of runs in the fourth, but the Abbey mounted a comeback with two runs in the sixth as it brought the tying run to the plate. Sami Michaelis drew a bases loaded walk to score Smart, and Alysia Stewart later came in on a wild pitch to close the Fleet lead to 7-4. Down to its final three outs, the Abbey went down in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Kelsey Spurrier earned the win after holding the Abbey to four runs, one earned, on four hits in five and two-thirds innings. She fanned five and walked three. Richey earned the save. She held the Crusaders hitless in the final inning and a third, striking out two. Emily Self was charged with the loss. She gave up seven runs, six earned, on 14 hits in seven innings. She struck out three and walked one.

Game One Box
Game Two Box