The Belmont Abbey softball team swept the Conference Carolinas leading Pfeiffer University Falcons in a doubleheader, winning 2-1 and 3-2. It is the second straight doubleheader sweep of the Falcons as the Abbey moves to 9-15 overall and 4-4 in Conference Carolinas. Pfeiffer entered the game with a league best 7-1 Conference mark, and is now 13-17 overall and 7-3 in Conference Carolinas.

"Today we played up to our potential," Head Coach Ellie Hanover said. "After losing two ugly games on Saturday, there is something to be said for us coming in and sweeping the number-one team in the conference. Everyone was a contributor today and that is the only we are going to win games. I am very proud of my team today. We will get back to the drawing board tomorrow and focus on our next games. It is my hope that we find consistency now."

In the opener, the game was scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when designated player Becca Rothrock slammed a two out homer to dead centerfield. The round-tripper came two pitches after her foul ball popup was dropped by the catcher for an error.

The Falcons got the run right back in the bottom of the inning as Kirsten Patterson led off with a single to left, was sacrificed to second, and scored on a single to center by Amber Johnson.

The Crusaders answered right back in the top of the seventh. After a strikeout, catcher Alysia Stewart singled to center and was replaced by Jasmine Berryman. Brooke Baliles then dropped a bunt back to pitcher Melanie Conklin. Conklin's throw sailed past first, allowing Berryman to race to third and Baliles to move to second. Kelsey Spangler drove in the winning run when her fly ball to center was deep enough for Berryman to come home for the winning run.

Sami Michaelis, who went the distance in the circle, worked around a two out walk in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win. Michaelis held Pfeiffer to one run on four hits, striking out three. Conklin gave up two unearned runs on five hits, striking out four. Five different Crusaders recorded hits, and four different Falcons recorded hits.

In game two, the Abbey broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh as Kelly Schweizer scored the winning run on a Pfeiffer defensive miscue, the second Falcons error of the inning. Schweizer led off the inning reaching on an error by the second baseman and moved to second on a single by Carol-Anne Sherrill. Rothrock followed with a single to center, moving each runner up one base, but the ball was misplayed by the Pfeiffer centerfielder, and Schweizer raced home for the winning run. The Abbey threatened to add more runs to the board, putting runners on second and third with one out, but two-straight pop outs ended the threat.

Michaelis came on in the bottom of the seventh to protect the one run lead. After a leadoff strikeout, Michaelis issued back-to-back walks to put the winning runs on base, but she ended the threat and the game with consecutive flyouts.

Both teams scored two runs in the second inning on defensive errors.

Emily Self picked up the win in six strong innings, giving up two unearned runs on seven hits, striking out two. Allison Braswell took the loss. She yielded three unearned runs on nine hits in seven innings, striking out three. In the eight combined runs in the two games, only one run was earned.

Rothrock led the Abbey in the second game with three hits in four at bats, while Sherrill collected two hits.