BELMONT, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey closed out is 2026 regular-season softball schedule on Friday with a sweep of Emmanuel in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader at Crusader Field. The Crusaders rallied for a 6-2 win in the opener before taking the nightcap 7-0.
The wins improve The Abbey to 25-21 overall and 17-11 in league play, while Emmanuel closes out the campaign at 4-44, 4-24. The 25 wins by Belmont Abbey are tied for third most in a single season.
THE OPENER
- Belmont Abbey trailed 2-1 after four innings but scored five straight over the next two frames to secure the win. Alyana Patrick tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the fifth, then Ava Elkins and Jordan Stefani drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks in the sixth to break the tie. Trinity Wall then singled in a run before Patrick capped the scoring another sac fly.
- The Crusaders tallied just six hits in the contest, with Wall recording two of those. Patrick finished with three RBIs on an 0-for-1 game.
- Sienna Garcia threw a complete-game four-hitter against the Lions, walking just one against five strikeouts. She improved to 13-12.
THE NIGHTCAP
- Patrick had three singles and Megan Towery and Stefani homered as the Crusaders jumped all over the Lions with 10 hits as a team.
- Towery had an RBI groundout in the first for a 1-0 lead before the Crusades tacked on four in the third. The final two runs came on long balls in the fifth and sixth.
- Erin Gill (8-3) was stellar in the circle, allowing just two hits over 5.0 innings pitched. She walked one and struck two before giving way to Margaret Cartrette and Lilly Hartsell for the final two innings.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey has assured itself a spot in the Conference Carolinas Tournament next weekend.
- KPI rankings and seeding will be determined tomorrow at the conclusion of the league's regular season but the Crusaders will play an opening-round game Thursday at either 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. at Tyger River Park in Duncan, S.C.
