The Belmont Abbey softball team battled the visiting Winston-Salem State Lady Rams in a pair of eight inning contests, dropping the opener 7-4 and rallying to win game two 1-0 as it took advantage of an error to score the run. The Abbey is now 10-28, while Winston-Salem State is now 18-16.

"We came out flat the first game," Head Coach Ellie Hanover said. "Winston-Salem came out strong and played well. The second game was a great pitcher's duel. Emily threw very well. We had some great opportunities to score but couldn't seem to get it done. Chelsea's bunt in the eighth got things going. We were in a good position at that point and were able to put some pressure on the defense. It felt good to get that win."

In game one, Winston-Salem jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the second on a homer by second baseman Britney Cato, but the Crusaders got it right back in the bottom of the frame as Shanie McConnell scored on a Lady Rams error.

One inning later the Crusaders surged ahead with two runs. McConnell laced a run scoring single that plated Aleisha Peek, and Chelsea Elmore's groundout scored pinch runner Rebecca Mateo.
The lead did not last long, as the Lady Rams scored two in the top of the fourth, the first coming on a groundout by Bria Jones, followed by a run-scoring single by Cato to knot the game at three. A double by Latoya Lynch the following inning scored Mariha Freeman to put the Lady Rams ahead 4-3.

In the bottom of the seventh the Abbey deadlocked the game at four to send the game into extra innings. With one out, Peek singled to left field, stole second, stole third and scored on an error off the bat of Emma Peek. A pair of groundouts sent the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth Winston-Salem State scored three runs, two coming on a double by Brittany Lane, and another on a double by Artreya Jernigan.

Down to its final three outs, the Crusaders moved a runner to third but could not get her in as the game ended with the Lady Rams taking a 7-4 win.

Peek led the Abbey with two hits as the Crusaders totaled six.

Lane earned the win in the circle as she worked the eighth inning, walking one and striking out one, but did not surrender a hit. Nikki Faust took the loss after giving up seven runs, six earned, on 14 hits in seven and two-thirds innings. She struck out five and walked a pair.

Game two was a battle of the pitchers as the eight inning game lasted just one hour and 20 minutes. The side was retired in order four times in the game, as neither Lane nor Emily Self gave up a run in regulation.

Winston-Salem State threatened in the seventh as it put runners on first and second with one out, but Self ended the threat with a pop up and a strikeout. The Crusaders went down in order in the bottom of the inning to send the game into extra innings once again.

Self retired the side in order in the eighth, and the Abbey won the game in the bottom of the frame to earn the split. Savannah Carpenter was placed on second to begin the inning, and she moved to third on an error off the bat of Elmore. Carol-Anne Sherrill then reached on another error, allowing Carpenter to score from third with the winning run.

Kelly Schweizer led the Abbey with two hits as it totaled five for the game.

Self held Winston-Salem State scoreless to claim the win, holding the Lady Rams to just four hits and striking out five. She did not walk a batter. Lane yielded just five hits, giving up an unearned run. She struck out three and walked one.