The Belmont Abbey softball team dropped its first two games at the Limestone Softball Classic, losing to Alderson-Broaddus 5-3 and to West Virginia Wesleyan 3-2. The Abbey is now 4-3 on the year.

"Today was disappointing," Head Coach Ellie Hanover said. "We seemed out of our element all day, especially the first game. We had a bunch of opportunities but just didn't capitalize. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm hoping the girls will turn the page quickly."

In the first game, against Alderson-Broaddus, the Cruaders jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the third as Alysia Stewart led off with a walk and moved to second on a bunt single by Chelsea Elmore. Anna Smart moved both runners up one base with a sacrifice bunt, and Stewart scored on an error by the catcher.

Alderson-Broaddus evened the game in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single, but the Crusaders struck right back in the top of the fourth as Jasmine Berryman laced an RBI double, scoring Brittany Southard, who had singled earlier.

Once again, Alderson-Broaddus matched the Abbey's run in the bottom of the inning to deadlock the game at two.

Both teams went scoreless in the fifth, and the Crusaders moved ahead again in the top of the sixth. Southard ripped a one out double and was replaced by pinch runner Michela Bifulco. Bifulco moved to third on a groundout by Katie Childers, and she scored on Berryman's single to center.

Alderson-Broaddus seized the lead for good in the bottom of the inning, as it took advantage of three Abbey errors to score three times.

Down to its final three outs, the Abbey put a runner on first with two outs, but could not score as it fell 5-3.

The Crusaders outhit Alderson-Broaddus 10-7 as Elmore, Berryman, Smart and Kathleen Pasquarella all had two hits. Berryman drove in two runs and Carol-Anne Sherrill had one RBI.

Sami Michaelis took the loss after giving up two runs, one earned, on four hits in four innings. Alderson-Broaddus starter India Stone earned the win in six innings of work, giving up three runs on ten hits. She struck out three.

Against West Virginia Wesleyan, the Crusaders rapped out nine hits but scored just two runs as they jumped ahead 2-0 in the top of the first. Elmore led off with a single up the middle and moved to third on a double by Kinsey McClure. Sherrill dropped down a bunt and beat the throw to first, allowing McClure to move to third and Elmore to come home for a 1-0 Abbey lead. Kathleen Pasquarella then reached on a fielder's choice, moving Sherrill to second as she beat the force attempt. Southard followed with a single to center, scoring McClure to move the lead to 2-0.

West Virginia Wesleyan pulled one back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI flyout.

The Crusaders threatened in the third as they loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but a groundout ended the threat.

Both teams went down in order in the fifth, and the Crusaders again threatened in the fifth as McClure ripped a one out single and moved to second on a single by Pasquarella. The threat stalled on a groundout.

West Virginia Wesleyan went down in order in the fifth and the Abbey went scoreless in the sixth. West Virginia Wesleyan went ahead in the bottom of the inning on a two run homer to go on top 5-3.

The Abbey did not score in the top of the seventh as the game ended there.

Michaelis took the loss in six innings of work, giving up two runs on five hits, striking out eight. Kaitlyn Carey took the win, as she gave up two runs on nine hits, fanning six.

McClure finished with three hits, while Pasquarella recorded a pair.