BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey softball team split a pair of tightly-contested games against Augusta Saturday afternoon at Crusader Field to wrap up an opening six-game homestand.
The Crusaders fell 3-2 in Game 1 before bouncing back with a 9-8 victory in Game 2 to move to 3-3 overall on the season. Augusta is now 9-3.
GAME 1
- The Jaguars opened the doubleheader with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.
- Bailey Presley reached base in all three of plate appearances with a walk in the first, aleadoff single in the fourth and reaching on an error in the sixth.
- The Abbey pulled even at 2-2 in the fourth with two-out RBI singles by Mackenzie Sprinkle and Trinity Wall.
- Augusta pulled ahead in the top of the seventh by scoring on a bunt.
- Alannah Browne struck out three over six plus innings of work. She also had a double and scored a run.
GAME 2
- Like Game 1, the Jaguars opened up the second game with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.
- The Crusaders pulled even at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning thanks to an two-run single from starting pitcher Adison Yoder. Yoder drove in Hallie Mele and Presley, who led off with a single and walk, respectively. She finished with two hits.
- Sydney Pon made a diving catch in left field to end the top of the third inning and strand Augusta runners on second and third base.
- Belmont Abbey took its first lead of the afternoon in the third with a three-run frame starting with an RBI double from Giovana Rodriguez.
- The Crusaders added two more runs with a sacrifice fly by Mackenzie Allison and an RBI single from Ruthie Allen.
- Belmont Abbey made it 6-2 in the fourth with an RBI single by Pon to drive in Presley.
- After Augusta pulled back within 6-5, Mele responded with an RBI single in the fifth to extend the lead back to 7-5. Mele finished with four hits in Game 2.
- Mele added a two-run single in the sixth to extend the lead to 9-5.
- After Augusta homered in the seventh, Adeline Cox was able to force a double play to end the game and earn the save.
- Five Crusaders finished with multiple hits: Mele (4), Pon (3), Yoder, Allen, Marlie Stillwell (2).
UP NEXT
The Crusaders are on the road for the first time in the 2023 season with a doubleheader at Lenoir-Rhyne beginning at noon.