The Belmont Abbey softball team was swept by the visiting
Limestone College Saints in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader,
dropping the first game 8-0 in six innings and losing 1-0 in the
nightcap. Limestone improves to 28-15 overall and remains atop the
league standings with a 11-1 conference mark, while the Abbey falls
to 17-17 overall and owns a 9-5 conference ledger.
In game one, Limestone took advantage of three Abbey errors to
score two unearned runs to claim a lead it would never lose. Jenna
Guse and Jordan Smith opened the game by reaching on consecutive
Crusader fielding miscues. Guse stole third and Smith moved to
second on a passed ball, which was followed by a groundout for the
first out of the inning. On the next at bat, Guse scored on a
throwing error when an attempted pickoff throw sailed into
leftfield for the first run of the game. Kelsey Kuykendall followed
with a seeing-eye single to left that brought home Smith to move
the Saints advantage to 2-0.
Two innings later the Limestone advantage doubled when Limestone
stringed together three consecutive singles, the third of which by
Kristyn Burleson scored Kuykendall. One batter later, Mallory
Kuykendall lifted a sacrifice fly to left that was deep enough to
score Kayla Hamalainen, who had singled earlier.
The Saints added to their lead in the fourth and fifth with
single runs, using an RBI single by Guse in the fourth and a
Chelsey Anthony double in the fifth that plated Mallory Kuykendall.
Limestone closed the scoring in the sixth with two runs, with
Hamalainen being responsible for both, driving in Smith with a
single for the first run and later scoring on a triple by Burleson
for the game's final run. The Abbey did not score in the bottom of
the inning as the contest ended there.
Emily Wallace picked up the win, scattering five hits over six
scoreless innings, striking out five. She retired the first five
batters she faced. Kim Anders took the loss. She allowed five runs,
three earned, on eight hits in four innings. She struck out a
pair.
Limestone registered 14 hits as six different players recorded
two each. Burleson drove in two runs, while five others had one RBI
apiece. Becca Rothrock and Candace Cady led the Crusaders with two
hits apiece.
In game two, Limestone scored the only run it would need in the
top of the second, as Hamalainen led off with a double and scored
on a single to left by Burleson.
Leah Quant made the lead stand up, as she retired the
first eight batters she faced before walking Anders with two outs
in the third. Kasey Kerley followed with an infield single for the
Abbey's only hit of the game.
Limestone had its best chance to extend its lead in the top of
the seventh, as Burleson led off with a single and was lifted for
pinch runner Madison Carpenter. Carpenter stole second and moved to
third on a sacrifce bunt by Mallory Kuykendall for the first out,
but Emily Self with a groundout and a strikeout to halt the
threat.
Down to its final three outs, the Abbey went down in order in
the seventh.
Quant struck out six and walked two while allowing an infield
single in a complete game effort. Self was charged with the loss
after giving up one run on six hits, striking out four.
Burleson had two of Limestone's six hits and the only RBI, as
she completed the doubleheader with four hits in seven at bats with
three RBI. Kerley recorded the only Abbey hit.
The Abbey is back in action Thursday afternoon at 2:00 when it
hosts Queens in a doubleheader.
Game One Box
Game Two Box
