BOWLING GREEN, Ky -- Belmont Softball split a pair of contests Saturday afternoon on its final day of action at the 2014 Hilltopper Spring Fling on the campus of Western Kentucky University.
In the first game, Bradley rallied for a 8-7 victory over the Bruins while BU rebounded with a 2-0, shutout victory over Canisius. Belmont (5-6) went 2-1 on the weekend, earning victories over the Golden Griffins and Miami (Ohio).
Game 1: Bradley 8, Belmont 7
Belmont jumped out to a large advantage early in the contest as the Bruins scored seven runs in the second inning.
Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) started the scoring for BU as the senior found home plate off a Bradley throwing error in order to put the Bruins on the board. An RBI double from Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) and a two run home run by junior Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) added to the Bruins run total.
Unfortunately Belmont failed score the rest of the contest and Bradley rallied, scoring eight runs off 10 hits.
The Bruins were held hitless through the final five innings and a solo home run from Bradley's Alex Chandler and a three-run blast from senior Madeline Lynch-Crumrine helped the Braves edge Belmont, 8-7.
Five different Bruins recorded a hit for Belmont and Hollingsworth led the way with 2 RBI on the contest.
Game 2: Belmont 2, Canisius 0
The Bruins rebounded in their second contest of the day as Belmont shutout Canisius to secure a winning record on the weekend.
Both teams started off slow offensively as the contest remained scoreless through the first five innings.
Ashley Hammer (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) helped Belmont break that stalemate as the senior notched a solo blast to left field in the sixth inning as the Bruins gained a slight, 1-0, advantage over the Golden Griffins.
BU added to its lead in the seventh inning when freshman Shirsty Stanton (Pinckneyville, Ill.) scored off a Canisius throwing error.
Belmont pitcher Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) secured her first win of the season as the Bruins earned its first shutout of 2014 with 2-0 victory over the Griffs.
The Bruins return to action this Wednesday, Feb. 26, as Belmont returns to Rose Park to square off against crosstown rival Lipscomb in doubleheader action starting at 3:30 p.m. (CST). Live stats will be available for the contest.
