The Belmont Abbey softball team dropped both games of a
doubleheader from the visiting Queens University of Charlotte
Royals, falling 12-5 in game one and taking a 9-6 eight inning loss
in game two. Queens moves to 18-17 overall and 9-2 in Conference
Carolinas, while the Abbey drops to 17-19 overall and 9-7 in
Conference Carolinas.
In the opener, Queens scored first with two runs in the top of
the second as Maria Goode put down a squeeze that scored Ashley
Wilson from third. Goode's single loaded the bases for Amanda
Bowman, who was hit by a pitch that brought home Chantel Dodge for
the second run.
The Abbey answered right back in the bottom of the inning as it
took advantage of a Royals error to score two runs. Becca Rothrock
drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by Katyln Coyne. Emily Self
sacrificed Coyne to second, and she moved to third on a single by
Candace Cady. After a lineout, Kim Anders drew a walk to load the
bases. Kasey Kerley followed with a slap grounder to shortstop
Alicia Waldrop. Waldrop threw home, but the ball was off line,
allowing Coyne to score and Cady to come around from second to knot
the game at two.
Queens moved right back ahead in the top of the third with two
runs, as Waldrop led off with an infield single, and moved to third
on a single by Megan Lathbury. Dodge sacrificed Lathbury to second,
and Brandy Jester plated Waldrop with a squeeze bunt. Beth Richie
drove home Lathbury with a single to right.
The Royals moved their advantage to 6-2 in the fifth, and they
added three more in the sixth, as Jester ripped a two-RBI single
and Goode followed with an opposite field single down the leftfield
line.
Belmont Abbey trimmed the lead to 9-5 in its half of the sixth
by scoring three runs. Carol-Anne Sherrill led off with an infield
single and moved to third on a double by Anna Smart. After a
groundout, Self grounded out to second that allowed Sherill to
score, and Cady followed with a single that plated Smart. Tara
Ruebel and Anders drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for
Kerley, who beat out an infield single that scored Cady.
The Royals closed the scoring in the seventh with three runs, as
Keeya Turner beat out an infield single and stole second. Megan
Campbell brought home Turner with a double down the rightfield line
and was thrown out at third trying to stretch the play into a
triple. Waldrop, the next batter, ripped a solo homer to move the
lead to 11-5. Richie closed the scoring with a single to right
center that scored Dodge, who singled earlier.
Dodge earned the win after limiting the Abbey to five runs,
three earned, on seven hits in six innings. She struck out five and
walked five. Self took the loss after surrendering nine runs on 17
hits in six innings.
Turner led the Royals with four hits in five at bats. Jester had
two hits with three RBI. Dodge, Campbell and Waldrop all had three
hits as Queens registered 22. The Abbey totaled eight hits as
Kerley finished with three. Cady and Sherrill had two each.
In the nightcap, Belmont Abbey drew first blood in the bottom of
the third on a solo homer by Alysia Stewart. Two innings later, the
Abbey upped its lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs. Sami Michaelis
drew a one-out walk and moved to second on an infield single by
Kerley. Megan Riveros was issued a free pass to load the bases.
Sherrill came to the plate and fouled off eight pitches before
ringing a double to left center to score Michaelis and Kerley.
The lead lasted one half inning as the Royals scored five runs
on four hits in the sixth, using a pair of two-RBI singles by Dodge
and Richie, and the other on a bases loaded wild pitch.
Neither team scored until the bottom of the seventh, when faced
with its final three outs, the Abbey scored two runs to send the
game into extra innings. The Crusaders loaded the bases with nobody
out on a single by Michaelis, a double by Kerley and an infield
single by Riveros. Jester then came in to replace Dodge in the
circle, and she was greeted by a single to left by Sherrill that
scored Michaelis and Kerley to knot the game at five. Smart then
dropped a bunt single that dribbled all the way to second base,
where Campbell ran the ball down and cut down Riveros at the plate
to keep the game alive after Riveros tried to score from second.
With one out, Rothrock was intentionally walked and was lifted for
Coyne. With Sherrill at third and Coyne at first, Dodge ended the
threat with two strikeouts to send the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, Queens plated four runs on four hits, as it
scored the go-ahead run quickly. Megan Rollins was placed on second
to begin the inning, and Dodge moved her to third with a sacrifice
bunt. Jester then shot a ground ball to second, where Smart threw
home to nab Rollins, but she beat the throw to put the Royals ahead
to stay. Richie and Goode followed with singles, and Bowman widened
the gap to two with a single that scored Jester. After a grounder
cut down Richie at home Campbell dropped a single to left center,
scoring Goode and Bowman.
Down five runs, the Abbey was able to get one in the eighth as
Ruebel was placed on second to begin the frame. Stewart singled her
to third. After a strikeout, Kerley beat out a double play attempt
that cut down Stewart at second, but Ruebel scored easily to trim
the lead to 9-6, which was the final.
Dodge picked up the win in two innings of relief, holding the
Abbey to an unearned run on three hits in two innings. She struck
out three. Anders took the loss after giving up nine runs, eight
earned, on 12 hits in seven and two-thirds innings. She struck out
nine.
Belmont Abbey finished with ten hits as Sherrill finished two
for three with four RBI. Kerley was three for five with an RBI and
two runs scored.
Campell and Dodge led Queens with two hits apiece, with two RBI.
Jester also had an RBI. The Royals totaled 12 his for the game.
Game One Box
Game Two Box
