NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont softball used tremendous efforts from a pair of relatively new faces in order to record the sweep of Austin Peay (3-17, 2-5 OVC) Sunday afternoon.
The Bruins prevailed 8-4 in the first game of the doubleheader and rallied to edge the Lady Govs, 3-2, in the nightcap at Rose Park.
GAME 1: Belmont 8, Austin Peay 4
The Bruins jumped out early against the Lady Govs in the first contest of the day as an RBI double to right center field from Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) in the second and a RBI infield single by Jordan Daly (Humble, Tex.) in the third put the Bruins on the board, 2-0.
Austin Peay dented the scoreboard for the first time of the game off a sacrifice fly from sophomore Allie Blackwood in the fourth inning.
The Bruins quickly countered in the home half of the fourth as BU used an RBI single from Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Tex.), an APSU error and an RBI double from Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Tex.) to notch three runs as Belmont took a comfortable, 5-1, advantage.
Austin Peay added a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning after sophomore Christiana Gable hit a two-RBI double to left center field but the Bruins quickly answered with a two-RBI double of their own in the home half of the fifth when freshman Ally Bessette (Bryan, Tex.) drove in sophomores Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) and Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) on a shot to centerfield.
With the Bruins leading 7-3, Deloney used a shot down the left field line in the sixth inning as the sophomore catcher drove in senior Amanda Criscione (Upland, Calif.) from second base.
APSU added another run to their total in the top of the seventh and back-to-back hits followed as the Lady Govs tried to rally in order to extend the game. With two outs, a walk loaded the bases for the visitors with the tying run coming to the plate.
The Bruins held on for an 8-4 victory, however, after Andree produced the final out of the game.
Belmont produced 13 hits on the contest, led by Deloney's 3-for-4 effort. Bessette and Andree both finished a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate as the rookies drove in three of the Bruins eight runs.
BU's Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) picked up her third win of the season as the junior threw a complete game for the Bruins, allowing three earned runs while tossing four strikeouts.
GAME 2: Belmont 3, Austin Peay 2
The Bruins dug themselves a hole in the second game of the doubleheader as Austin Peay used RBI singles to right field and center field respectively in order to tally a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.
Belmont answered in the home half of the fourth inning as freshmen Jess Andree and Ally Bessette hit back-to-back RBI doubles to center field as the Bruins quickly reclaimed the lead, 3-2.
Those three runs were all the Bruins needed in order to record the sweep of the Lady Govs on the day as junior right hander Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) relieved starting pitcher Katie Clancy (Pasadena, Calif.) in the fourth and promptly threw four scoreless innings, giving up a pair of hits and a walk with two strikeouts as BU held captured their third consecutive win with a 3-2 victory.
Hollingsworth recorded two of Belmont's five hits on the contest. Her leadoff double to centerfield in the fourth inning was her team-leading seventh of the season.
On the day, Bessette finished 3-for 4 at the plate with two doubles and three RBI while Andree finished 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and three RBI. The duo accounted for six of BU's 11 runs scored.
Belmont (8-17, 3-3 OVC) returns to action next weekend as the Bruins hit the road for a three-game divisional series with Tennessee Tech.
BU is set for a doubleheader with the Golden Eagles Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. and will wrap up the series with a rubber match on Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
