NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont softball team (10-15, 1-6 OVC) saw a pair of comeback rallies fall short on Sunday afternoon at Rose Park. The Bruins dropped a pair of tough OVC games to visiting in-state rival UT Martin (20-9, 4-2 OVC), 8-2 and 11-5.
Game 1
Game 2
UT Martin wasted little time in the first game, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a three-run homerun by Leah Taylor and a solo homer by Lauren Smith. Belmont was able to rally in the bottom of the same inning, adding two runs courtesy of a double by junior Kim Johnson (Tucson, Ariz.) that sent sophomore Heather Turner (Rosenburg, Texas) and junior Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) over the plate.
The Skyhawks added three more runs to their tally with another three-run homerun in the top of the fifth to go up 7-2 before the matchup was temporarily suspended due to inclement weather. After a two hour and 10 minute lightning and rain delay, the teams resumed action on the field. UTM was able to notch its eighth run of the game in the sixth and keep the Bruins off the board for the remainder of the contest to take the game 8-2.
Game two saw the Skyhawks grab a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of action and maintain it for three and a half innings. Suddenly, the Bruins exploded in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore Amanda Criscione (Upland, Calif.) reached with a single to left before Hammer smashed her first homerun of the season over the right center fence to give BU its first lead of the afternoon, 2-1. Senior Becca Gift (Durham, N.C.) followed with a well placed single that dropped in between a trio of Skyhawks, opening the door for the quick feet of sophomore Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas) to make tracks from second base to bring Belmont's run tally to three.
UT Martin fired back in the top of the sixth, collecting seven runs to pull away from Belmont, 8-3, but BU waged a two out rally in the bottom of the same inning on a pair of singles by Criscione and Hammer and a double by Hollingsworth. Unfortunately, the Skyhawks' bats remained hot and they were able to add three more runs in the top of the seventh, pushing for the 11-5 victory.
For the day, Criscione led the Bruins, batting .600. Hollingsworth hit .571 on the day with three doubles, a homerun and two RBI. Hammer and Johnson also finished with two RBI apiece.
Inside the circle, Snodgress logged 6.2 innings of work and fanned three batters. Junior Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.) tossed five innings and picked up one strikeout.
Belmont returns to action next weekend, continuing a long homestand at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins host Jacksonville State March 29-30.
