Visiting Belmont Abbey College posted 3-0 and 2-1 victories over Barton College in Conference Carolinas softball action at Gillette Park on Saturday.

"We needed to get these two wins," Head Coach Ellie Hanover said. "We played really well today. Kim and Emily were brilliant on the mound, and we had some timely hits and made the plays on defense."

The Crusaders (16-14 overall, 8-2 league) rode a complete-game, five-hit performance from pitcher Kim Anders (7-5) to victory in the opener. The Crusaders rapped nine hits, with Kasey Kerley, Becca Rothrock and Tara Reubel notching two apiece. Carol-Anne Sherrill added a triple.

Natalie Phipps led the way for Barton (11-20, 2-6) at 2-for-3. Elizabeth Webb (1-2) started and took the pitching loss for the Lady Bulldogs. Kendall Street tossed the final 3 2/3 innings.

Abbey struck for two runs in the third on two hits. With two outs, Kerley walked and scored on Sherrill's triple. A single by Rothrock plated Sherrill for a 2-0 lead. In the fourth, a walk by Ruebel, a single by Cady, an error and an RBI single by Kerley made it 3-0.

In the second clash, Barton took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo homer by Street. Abbey countered with two runs in the third on a walk by Kerley, a single by Sherrill, a throwing error and an RBI groundout by Anna Smart.

Belmont Abbey finished with a 7-5 edge in hits. Emily Self (5-5) was the winning pitcher in a full seven innings of work. Cynthia Burroughs (4-4) went the first four innings and took the loss for Barton. Street pitched the final three innings.

Amber Fletcher and Jessica McFadden rapped two hits each for Barton and Kerley led the way for Abbey at 2-for-3.