NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Another pair of comeback efforts fell shy of toppling one of the top teams in the OVC on Sunday afternoon for Belmont Softball. A grueling pitchers duel earmarked game one that saw the Bruins (15-32, 8-12 OVC) edged by visiting SIUE (21-20, 13-7 OVC), 2-1, in extra innings and fall 13-4 in game two.
Game One
The matchup was a pitcher's duel through six innings with both teams struggling to string together hits to get into scoring position. It appeared that SIUE would be the first to score in the top of the fourth, after taking advantage of a pair of defensive errors that put two runners in scoring position. However, a squeeze play at the plate aided by a laser tossed by sophomore shortstop Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) to junior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) behind home halted the scoring opportunity and kept the game locked in the 0-0 stalemate.
Finally, in the top of the seventh inning, the Cougars were able to score one run after a single up the middle followed a double to left. Belmont answered back, knotting the score in the bottom of the same. Deloney singled to left and saw her pinch runner, classmate
Kate Black (Knoxville, Tenn.), moved to second base off a well-placed sacrifice bunt by senior
Jess Wilson (Alvin, Texas). Freshman
Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Tenn.) hit a hard single back towards the pitcher and beat out the throw to put runners on the corners. Junior
Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) grounded out but the effort allowed Black to cross the plate, forcing the game into extra innings.
In the eighth, SIUE used a double and a single to put across the go ahead run, taking a 2-1 lead. Belmont was able to connect during its turn at bat in the bottom of the inning but could not get runners on base and fell by the same score.
Game Two
The Cougars jumped out to a 2-0 lead to open the first inning but Belmont came out hot in its half of the inning. Freshman Sami Long (Springfield, Ill.) singled before Andree took advantage of an SIUE fielding error to put runners on the corners. Andree stole second base and redshirt sophomore Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) sent a single up the middle to send Long over the plate. Next up, Deloney was walked to load the bases before Andree reached home after SIUE was unable to stop her with a play at the plate due to an errant throw. The next run came easier with Spicer reaching first after being hit by the ball, rotating the base runners and putting Belmont ahead, 3-2.
The teams remained separated by only one run for the next two innings before SIUE tied the score in the top of the fourth inning. Belmont was unable to match the effort in the bottom of the same, opening the door for the Cougars to explode for a whopping 10 runs over the next two innings to pull away, 13-3. The Bruins pushed for one final rally in the bottom of the sixth. Wilson reached on four balls before a ground out moved her to second base. A misplayed ball by the Cougars put runners on the corners before Zeronian sent a hit toward second base, picking off a runner but pushing Wilson over home plate. Unfortunately, Belmont was unable to score more and grounded out to end the contest, falling 13-4.
For the day, Long led the Bruins at the plate, batting .400 with a pair of hits.
Inside the circle, four Bruins -- seniors Taylor Moon (Vestavia Hills, Ala.) and Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.), Rouse and freshman Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas) -- saw action. The corps combined for seven strikeouts on the day.
Belmont returns to action on Tuesday, April 26 with a single game on the road at in-state rival Middle Tennessee State. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Murfreesboro.
