COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont softball team (13-24, 3-12 OVC) snapped a seven-game skid with a split over in-state rival Tennessee Tech (17-18, 6-5 OVC) on Saturday afternoon. The Bruins won game one, 4-1, before being edged in the nightcap, 3-2.
Tennessee Tech scored first in the bottom of the first inning of game one and held on to its 1-0 advantage until the Bruins exploded in the top of the sixth inning. Sophomores Heather Turner (Rosenburg, Texas) and Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas) opened the inning with back-to-back singles before a hit by senior Becca Gift (Durham, N.C.) notched BU's first run of the game. A single by Jessica Wilson scored another Bruin run before junior Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) belted a two-run homer to put Belmont ahead 4-1. BU used strong defense to hold on to the three-run lead to take the game by the same score.
In game two, TTU was first to put runs on the scoreboard, notching runs in the bottom of third, fourth and fifth innings to pull ahead 3-0. However, the Bruins fired back in the top of the sixth inning once again. Hits by Turner, Hollingsworth and Wilson loaded the bases and opened the door for hit by Gift to score one run. A wild throw saw both Wilson and Hollingsworth cross the plate to move BU to within one run, 4-3. However, the Golden Eagles were able to rally behind the pitching of Taylor Ketchum in the seventh inning to keep the Bruins from scoring the tying run and forcing extra innings.
For the day, junior Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) led the Bruins, batting .667 after going 2-for-3 at the plate. Turner batted .571 going 4-for-7 at the plate.
Inside the circle, Vierra picked up the win in game one, pitching the complete game and fanning a pair of batters. Freshmen Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) and Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) also saw action combining for two strikeouts.
Belmont returns to action on Sunday afternoon beginning at 1 p.m. for a single game. Live stats will be available.
