The Belmont Abbey softball team rallied from a 6-1 defeat to take game two by a 3-2 score to snap North Greenville's 13 game Conference Carolinas winning streak, giving it its first conference loss, to earn a sweep of a Saturday doubleheader at Crusader Field. The Abbey is now 9-27 overall and 2-9 in Conference Carolinas, while North Greenville is now 18-6 overall and 13-1 in Conference Carolinas.

"Both games were very intense," Head Coach Ellie Hanover said. "The first game was well played until the last inning. We had a couple of breakdowns. I was proud of the girls the second game. It was great to see the team bounce back and upset the top ranked team in the conference. We have had our struggles this year but this was a game that we played mature softball and fought until the end. I hope we can get a couple more wins tomorrow and play quality softball for the rest of the season."

In game one, North Greenville scored the only run it would need in the top of the first on a Sarah Griffith RBI single that plated Kimberly Robertson.

The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fifth when North Greenville tacked on two more as it used a Crusader throwing error to score two runs.

Belmont Abbey, which only had one hit, recorded two in the bottom of the sixth to produce its first run. Aleisha Peek ripped a double to right center and moved to third, sliding into the bag just under the tag, on a Kinsey McClure groundout. Shanie McConnell followed with a ringing double to the gap in left center to score Peek to close the lead to 3-1.

North Greenville fired right back with three runs on four hits in the top of the seventh, two coming on a double by Emily Campbell, and the other on a sacrifice fly to right by Karli Taylor. Campbell's contributions extended the North Greenville lead to 6-1.

Rachel Glazebrook picked up the win in the circle for North Greenville, as she gave up just one run on three hits in seven innings, striking out four. She also walked three. Nikki Faust was charged with the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on 11 hits. She fanned three and walked one.

Peek, McConnell and Brooke Baliles all had one hit for the Crusaders.

Game two began with North Greenville scoring the first run of the game in the top of the first, but the Abbey immediately tied the game in the bottom of the inning on an Amber Faust double to right center that plated Carol-Anne Sherill, who reached on an error to leadoff the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kelly Schweizer.

The game was not tied for long as the Crusaders surged ahead in the bottom of the third, using RBI singles by Aleisha Peek and from Brittany Southard, who was inserted to pinch hit for Kinsey McClure. Southard's hit scored Faust, who singled to center previously.

North Greenville sliced the Abbey lead to 3-2 in the top of the fourth as Roberston's sacrifice fly to center was deep enough to plate Amy Nagel, who began the inning with a walk.

That turned out to be the last run of the game, but Emily Self worked out of jams in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to preserve the win.

In the seventh, Courtney Campbell led off and was retired on a leaping grab by Chelsea Elmore. That was followed by an error that put Nagel on and a single by Kansas Wofford to put runners on first and second with one out. Shelby Leasure entered the game to pinch run for Nagel, and she was retired on a grounder to Bailes at third, who stepped on the base for the second out. Self then ended the game on a strikeout to Courtney Campbell.

Self went the distance as she allowed two runs, one earned, on nine hits, striking out five. Cassi Carpenter took the loss after giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits in two and two-thirds innings.

Faust finished with three of the Abbey's six hits. Peek, Southard and Baliles had one hit apiece.

Game One Box

Game Two Box