Belmont Abbey freshman Sami Michaelis threw out the potential
tying run at home in the top of the seventh to preserve a 4-3 win
in game one, and in game two, she worked three scoreless innings of
relief, holding Montreat hitless, to save a 4-3 win as the
Crusaders earned the doubleheader sweep of the Cavaliers this
afternoon at Crusader Field. The wins even the Abbey's record to
12-12, while Montreat falls to 12-15.
In game one, Montreat scored the first two runs of the game,
getting single runs in the first and second innings, before the
Abbey tied it up in the bottom of the third. Candace Cady led off
the inning with a homer to left center, her second of the year.
That was followed by Erin Evans reaching on an error and scoring
off another Montreat miscue off the bat of Carol-Anne Sherrill to
knot the game at two.
The Cavaliers reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth on an
RBI groundout by Priscilla Silva, but the Crusaders reclaimed the
lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Megan
Riveros drew a leadoff walk and scored on a double to right by
Evans. After a groundout, Sherrill lifted a high fly ball to
centerfield that dropped after centerfielder Jamie Lokken lost in
the sun. Evans scored easily for the go-ahead run.
Neither team threatened in the sixth, but in the seventh
Montreat put the tying run on second with two outs in the form of
Stephanie Morrison. After Kim Anders struck out Kristine Valdez for
the second out, Silva lined a single to right, where Michaelis's
throw home to Alysia Stewart was on target. Morrison tried to run
over Stewart, but she held onto the ball to record the final out of
the game.
Anders earned the win after holding Montreat to three runs, one
earned, on five hits in a complete game effort. She struck out five
and walked two. Belmont native Rachel Stowe took the loss after
giving up four runs, three earned, on five hits in six innings. She
fanned seven and walked one.
Both teams finished with five hits as five different players all
had one each. Both teams committed three errors defensively.
In the nightcap, Montreat jumped ahead 3-0 by scoring two runs
in the top of the first and pushing across another in the third,
but the Crusaders answered with three runs in the bottom of the
third, all with two outs, to deadlock the game at three apiece.
Michaelis and Sherrill led off the inning with a strikeout and a
popout, respectively, before Anna Smart banged a double off the
leftfield wall. She moved to third on a bloop single by Anders, and
scored on a single by Tara Ruebel. Cady followed with a single to
right that brought home Ruebel and Anders to tie the game at
three.
One inning later, the Crusaders pushed across the winning run as
Kasey Kerley and Evans led off with infield singles. Kerley moved
to third on Evans's single, and a Michaelis followed with a
swinging bunt that chased Kerley back to third safely to load the
bases for Sherrill, who ripped a single to right center that plated
Kerley with the winning run.
Montreat threatened in the top of the fifth as it started the
inning by putting two runners on that chased Brittany Southard from
the game in favor of Michaelis. Michaelis induced a forceout at
third and a pair of strikeouts to end the threat.
Both teams went down in order in their next at bats, and
Michaelis held the Cavaliers scoreless in the top of the seventh by
working around an Abbey error. After a popout, Erin Cross reached
on an error, but Michaelis ended the game with a popout to Ruebel
at first and a strikeout.
Southard earned the win after giving up two hits over one
scoreless inning. Michaelis picked up the save. She did not allow a
hit over three scoreless innings, fanning five. Nicole Denney took
the loss. She allowed four runs on ten hits in six innings,
striking out three.
Kerley and Ruebel led the Abbey with two hits and a run scored
apiece as the Crusaers rapped out ten hits. Montreat collected
eight hits as Olivia Huffman finished two for four with two RBI,
coming on a two-run single in the first.
Game One Box
Game Two Box
