DUNCAN, S.C. -- No. 11 seed Belmont Abbey split a pair of games at the Conference Carolinas Tournament on Thursday, winning a nine-inning battle over No. 6 seed Lees-McRae in the play-in round before falling to third-seeded Mount Olive 10-4 in the game round of the double-elimination bracket later in the evening.
The Crusaders fall into the loser's bracket where they will play No. 9 seed Barton at 2 p.m. on Friday.
No. 11 BELMONT ABBEY 4, No. 6 LEES-McRAE 1 (9 innings)
- The teams were deadlocked at 1-1 through eight innings when the Crusaders plated three in the ninth. After Sydney Pon took second on the international tiebreaker, Mackenzie Allison delivered a single to right for a 2-1 lead. Bailey Presley next hit an 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for being home Kennedy Teasley, who pinch ran for Allison.
- Hallie Mele and Presley each had two hits with Sage Farmer, Foster Sharpe and Allison also reaching first on hits.
- Adison Yoder improved to 9-7 with the win, allowing just one hit over 3.2 innings of relief.
- McKenna Meadors scattered three hits over 5.1 innings in a no-decision start. She struck out five and walked three in giving up one run.
No. 3 MOUNT OLIVE 10, No. 11 BELMONT ABBEY 4
- Mele and Presley repeated their two-hit performances from the earlier game. Presley homered for the second straight, a three-run shot that gave the Crusaders a 3-0 lead in the top of the first.
- Farmer extended her hitting streak to 17 games with a single, while Pon also had a hit.
- Mount Olive scored a run in the second and four in the third to take the lead.
- Yoder fell to 9-8 allowing five runs, all earned on five hits and a walk in 2.0 innings.
