BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey softball team honored four seniors prior to a nonconference doubleheader with Tusculum Saturday afternoon at Crusader Field.
The Crusaders fell 12-3 in six innings in the opener before bouncing back with a 9-4 win in the second game against the Pioneers to earn the split. Belmont Abbey hit five home runs on the day, including two by
Hallie Mele. The five home runs are the most in a doubleheader this season for the team.
Before the game,
Alannah Browne,
Mackenzie Sprinkle,
Shelby Sosebee and Susan Brandolini were honored in a pregame ceremony held by the team.
Belmont Abbey is now 14-22 overall following Saturday's contests while Tusculum is 21-24.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1
- The Pioneers got off to a fast start with seven runs over the first two innings.
- Browne made her return to the circle for the Crusaders in her first game action since March 24 at Lees-McRae.
- Sprinkle got the Crusaders on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a leadoff home run.
- Mele and Mackenzie Allison helped the Crusaders added to the long ball total with home runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively.
GAME 2
- Tusculum jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a home run in the second inning.
- The Crusaders added two more runs in the bottom of the third: a solo home run by Mele followed by a two-run shot by Sydney Pon to give The Abbey its first lead of the afternoon at 3-2.
- The Pioneers tied the game in the fifth before three straight RBI singles from Sprinkle, Allison and Adison Yoder gave Belmont Abbey a 6-3 lead.
- The Crusaders answered a Tusculum run in the sixth with three more in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double by Bailey Presley followed later by consecutive RBI singles from Sprinkle and Allison. Presley led the Crusaders offense with four hits in Game 2.
- Yoder earned the complete game win with no walks on 102 pitches.
UP NEXT
- The Crusaders close the regular season next week with three Conference Carolinas doubleheaders.
- Belmont Abbey travels to Erskine to face the Flying Fleet on Tuesday and follows that with a pair of home dates against Chowan on Friday and Barton on Saturday.
- The Erskine and Chowan doubleheaders are scheduled for a 1 p.m. start with Barton slated for a noon start next weekend.
