BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Belmont Softball pulled off a stunner in the nightcap of the Hilltopper Classic defeating host-WKU, 12-3. The Bruins (6-0) notched the program's first win over the Hilltoppers (4-3) with the six-inning victory.
The Bruins jumped out to an early lead again in the top of the first. Junior Lexi Rouse (Macon, Ga.) drilled her first home run of the season over the left fence to put a total of three runs on the board for BU. Belmont added a single run in the top of the second inning, after three consecutive singles by seniors Kayla Wells (Bonney Lake, Wash.) and Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) and sophomore Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) Rookie Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) used a sacrifice fly to send a run over the plate to extend the lead before BU added one more run in the top of the third after a hit by Rouse.
WKU finally awakened its bats in the bottom of the fourth evidenced with a triple and a homerun from back-to-back batters. The flurry added three runs to the Hilltopper tally but the Bruins redoubled their efforts to maintain their lead down the stretch.
BU held on to its 7-3 lead until the top of the sixth when it exploded offensively. Singles by Sims and Rouse opened the door for a three-run homerun by senior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) to blow the game wide open. Junior Jess Andree (Darien, Ill.) followed with a single before sophomore Sami Long (Springfield, Ill.) knocked the first homerun of her career to put Belmont on top, 12-3. A strong defensive effort led to a 1-2-3 end to the Hilltoppers' half of the inning and secured the Bruin victory.
With the win, BU ties the program record for most consecutive wins to start a season.
Long and Wells led the Bruins at the plate, both going 3-for-4. Four players notched two runs apiece with Deloney and Long tallying homeruns. Rouse finished the day with four RBI.
Inside the circle, Morgan Marshall (Church Hill, Tenn.) notched her first collegiate win with five strikeouts. Sophomore Ashley Johnson (Kingwood, Texas) came in for relief and recorded a strikeout.
Belmont returns to action tomorrow for the final day of the WKU Hilltopper Classic. BU's first game is set for 10 a.m. versus Miami of Ohio. Live stats will be available.
