NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont softball recovered from a shaky start Saturday afternoon as the Bruins earned their first Ohio Valley Conference victory of the year as sophomore Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) helped power BU to a 7-3 triumph over Murray State (14-10, 2-3 OVC) in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Bruins fell to the Racers, 9-0, in five innings in the opening contest of the afternoon at Rose Park.
GAME 1: Murray State 9, Belmont 0 (5 innings)
Murray State's bats were hot from the star as the Racers tallied six of their nine runs in the first two innings of the opening contest at Rose Park.
The visitors used eight hits to record the six runs as a two-run shot to left field in the second inning by MSU's Maggie Glass highlighted the Racers' display of offensive fireworks.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Murray State knocked in a run in the top of the fourth and used a pair of Belmont errors in the fifth to end the game early as the Racers went on for the shutout victory in five innings of play.
The Bruins' bats were stymied throughout the game as starting MSU pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey (7-5) threw a complete game, allowing just five hits with three strikeouts.
Five different Bruins recorded a hit for Belmont while senior Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) reached base twice on walks.
GAME 2: Belmont 7, Murray State 3
Belmont's offense woke up in the second contest of the afternoon doubleheader as the Bruins mirrored Murray State's offensive production to start the game as BU tallied six of their seven runs in the first two innings of play.
Hollingsworth started the scoring with her team-leading fourth triple as her shot into right field in the bottom of the first allowed fellow senior Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.), who reached base on a leadoff walk, to cross home plate.
Junior Jessica Wilson followed Hollingsworth's big hit with one of her own as the upperclassmen's single to shortstop drove in Hollingsworth at third base.
Wilson was able to cross home plate herself off an RBI single from sophomore Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala) as the Bruins took a 3-1 advantage after one complete inning of play.
The Bruins used a pair of hits to add three more runs to their total in the home half of the second inning. Sophomore Kayla Wells started the action with a two-RBI single to shortstop.
With the bases loaded with Bruins and just one out, infielder Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) delivered a daily special of her own as the junior drove in Wells with a single to centerfield as BU extended its advantage, 6-1.
A solo shot to center field by Deloney in the fourth inning capped the Bruins scoring assault as BU took a 7-1 advantage. The home run proved to be the catcher's second of the year.
Murray State tallied a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning off a BU catching error but the Bruins held off the Racers to earn the split on the day and their first OVC victory with a 7-3 triumph.
Belmont's Carolyn Snodgress (2-3) earned her second victory on the year as the junior had a great outing in the circle, throwing a complete game and allowing just one earned run and four hits while delivering one strikeout.
Offensively, the Bruins tallied eight hits on the contest with Wells and Deloney leading the attack. Wells finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBI while Deloney went 2-for-4 while also knocking in two RBI.
On the day, Wells led the Bruins with three hits on seven at-bats.
Belmont (6-17, 1-3 OVC) returns to action Sunday as the Bruins are set to who another conference doubleheader as BU welcomes Austin Peay to Rose Park. The first pitch of the day is set for 1 p.m. CT.
Live stats and video via the Ohio Valley Digital Network will be available for both contests between the Bruins and Lady Govs.
