BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Belmont softball head coach Chris Kuhlmeyer came into the season with high offensive hopes for the 2014 Bruins. Belmont showed its potential Sunday afternoon in Birmingham, Ala. as the bats came alive as BU scored 18 runs, off 18 hits, as the Bruins went on to defeat host Samford, 18-8, in their final contest of the weekend at the 2014 Samford Tournament.
The Bruins jumped out to the early advantage in the first inning as Jessica Wilson (Alvin, Tex.) started the scoring with an RBI single up the middle. Junior Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) drove in another run off a sacrifice fly as the Bruins jumped out to the early 2-0 advantage.
Belmont (3-5) extended its lead in the second inning off a two-run blast from Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) as the Bruins went up, 4-0, over the host Bulldogs.
Samford (7-2) tightened up the contest in the home half of the second inning as the Bulldogs scored three runs off a pair of hits in order to draw within one run. The home team tied up the contest at 4 all in the bottom of the third off an RBI triple from sophomore Callie Brister.
The Bruins quickly broke the stalemate by reeling off six runs in the top of the fourth inning as Belmont pulled ahead, 10-4.
Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.) led off the fourth inning offensive explosion with an RBI double that drove in a pair of runs. Wilson followed that with an RBI single that added to the Bruin lead.
Hollingsworth capped off the inning with a three-run home run to right field as Belmont took the commanding advantage over the Bulldogs.
Samford refused to go away, however, as the Bulldogs countered Belmont's offensive barrage with one of their own, scoring four runs in the home half of the fouth inning to pull within two, 10-8.
In the decisive sixth inning, the Bruin bats went from hot to on fire as Belmont put the game away by scoring eight runs off seven hits, highlighted by a pair of huge swings from Wilson and Turner.
The scoring started when freshman Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wa.) found home plate off a throwing error by Samford catcher Abby Sweeney.
Wilson added to the BU scoring frenzy on the next at bat as the third baseman hit a two-run blast to left-center field.
Following a Hollingsworth single, Heather Turner (Rosenburg, Tex.) took her turn at hitting one out of the ball park as the junior's two run homer became the fourth Bruin of the day to hit a home run.
Wilson and Ferrell continued the Bruins' scoring bombardment as both players knocked in a run as the Bruins finished off the host Bulldogs, 18-8, in six innings, ending the three-day 2014 Samford Tournament on a high note.
The 18 runs marks the most runs scored by a Belmont squad against a Division I team in program history. It's the most runs scored since BU defeated Cumberland University, 23-0, on March 23, 1999.
Ferrell (3-for-4, 3 RBI) senior Ashley Hammer (3-for-3) and Wilson (3-for-5) led the Bruins while Hollingsworth finished 2-for-3 with four runs batted in.
Belmont's Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.) earned her first win on the year for the Bruins.
Belmont will return to action this Friday as the Bruins travel to Bowling Green, Ky. for their first game of the Hilltopper Spring Fling against the University of Miami (Ohio) at 2 p.m. CT. Live stats will be available for the contest with the RedHawks.
