BELMONT, N.C. - Shortstop Melissa Neyhouse tallied four hits on the day, including a 3-for-5 game 1 against Francis Marion.  The Abbey won the opener 7-6 in nine innings, while Francis Marion University took game two 2-0.  The Crusaders now stand at 6-8 in 2018, while the Patriots move to 8-4.

Belmont Abbey plated six runs in the bottom of the second inning of game 1.  Alexis Pereiro scored the first run of the inning when Morgan Smith hit a single to left.  Later, Brianna Embler reached on a fielder's choice which brought Kaitlin Moore home.  Then Brooke Pegram knocked a 2-RBI double to left, scoring Alexis Rogers and Smith.  Neyhouse capped the scoring with a single to right to bring home Embler.  The Abbey led 6-0 when the inning was done.

Francis Marion scored four in the third, and two in the fifth.  The Abbey defense forced a 3-up, 3-down eighth inning.  Then in the bottom of the ninth, with Rogers at third, Neyhouse singled up the middle to gave the Crusaders the 7-6 win.

Neyhouse went 3-for-5 in the game with three RBIs.  Pegram finished the game with a hit, a run, and two RBIs.  Rogers contributed a hit and two runs.  Chace Helms (3-2) earned the win, giving up just two runs in 6.2 innings and striking out four.

The second game was more of a pitching battle, with neither team giving up a run until the sixth inning.  From the second through the fourth, the Crusader defense did not give up a hit.  In the sixth two runs crossed for the Patriots, who closed out the game 2-0.  Embler went 2-for-2 in the second game.  Ivorie Maltby (1-2) threw a complete game, giving up just two runs and striking out five.

Belmont Abbey will next welcome Young Harris College on Saturday, February 24.  That doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m.