HICKORY, N.C. -- Late-inning rallies were the theme for Belmont Abbey softball on Saturday as the Crusaders split a doubleheader at the McCrorie Family Stadium Grand Opening Tournament hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne. The Abbey dropped its opener 4-3 against Flagler before earning a 15-14 win over Davis & Elkins in the nightcap.

With the results, the Crusaders stand 5-1 after the first week of the season.

THE OPENER (Flagler 4, Belmont Abbey 3)

• Belmont Abbey had six hits ini the contest -- all singles -- with Sage Farmer recording two.
• The Crusaders jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first on an RBI single by Ava Elkins and a sacrifice fly by Sami Kirk.
• After Flagler plated three in the third for the lead, Casey Laing tied the score in the fifth on a fielder's choice.
• But the Saints used a two-out double in the top of the seventh to earn the victory.
• Kayla Milam (1-1) took the loss despite allowing just one run in five innings of relief. She struck out two and did not walk a batter.

THE NIGHTCAP (Belmont Abbey 15, Davis & Elkins 14)

• McKenna Meadors hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh to answer an eight-run sixth for Davis & Elkins.
• Nine of the 14 half-innings were scoreless as The Abbey plated 13 in the fourth and two in the seventh. The Senators tallied two in the first, four in the fourth and eight in the sixth.
• The Crusaders pounded out 13 hits with six different players each getting a pair.
• Lily Garnett-Brown, Meadors and Kennedy Teasley all drove in three. Two of Teasley's came on a blast in the fourth.
• Meadors (2-0) earned the win despite surrendering three earned runs over 2.0 innings.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey two non-region opponents Friday on trip to Athens, W.Va.
• The Crusaders face Concord in the 12 noon opener and then Walsh immediately following.