BELMONT, N.C. -- Alexis Rogers drove in the game-winning run in walk-off fashion Monday, capping Belmont Abbey's sweep of Erskine on the opening day of Conference Carolinas softball play. The Crusaders won the opener 3-2, then took the nightcap 1-0 in eight innings.

The Abbey improves to 4-10 overall and 2-0 in league play, while the Flying Fleet fall to 3-12, 0-2.

THE OPENER

• The Crusaders took the lead for good with two runs in the fourth. Hailey Gass singled with two outs, then took second on a wild pitch. A throwing error at third allowed Gass to even the game, then Melissa Neyhouse plated Brianna Embler from second with an infield single.
• Erskine had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the frame with a home run and run-scoring single.
• Katie Allison sparked the Crusaders a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single.
• Gass finished the contest 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Neyhouse, Allison, Embler, Morgan Smith and Claire Doyle each had hits.
• Annabeth Watkins threw a complete game to improve to 2-6. She allowed just one earned run, while striking out five.
• Hannah Houge (3-6) suffered the loss despite striking out nine.

THE NIGHTCAP

• Neither team scratch across a run in regulation, so the teams went to extra innings and the international tiebreaker format. Erskine sacrificed its runner to third, but a pair of foul outs stranded the runner at third.
• With Gass starting at second for the Crusaders in the bottom of the eighth, Embler's perfect sacrifice attempt became a hit to put runners on the corners. Rogers hit a grounder to shortstop, but Gass beat the throw home to lift the Abbey to victory.
• Doyle, Embler and Rogers registered the Crusaders three hits in the contest.
• Jordanna Shorts pitched five scoreless innings, scattering two hits and five walks, before giving way to Watkins in relief. The senior stranded a runner in the fifth as part of her 3.0 innings. She allowed just two hits and a walk to improve to 3-6.
• Houge also suffered the loss in game two, allowing three hits and striking out five.

THE NIGHTCAP

• Belmont Abbey makes its first conference road trip on Thursday.
• The Crusaders travel to Southern Wesleyan for a 4 p.m. doubleheader.