NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Strong play on both sides of the ball helped Belmont Softball secure the victory on the final day of the Belmont/TSU Winter Warmup on Sunday afternoon at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins (7-2) held off Fort Wayne (6-9), 3-2, extending their win streak to six-straight and winning the tournament title after going undefeated during the three-day tournament.
Similar to their previous meeting the day before, BU made its mark on the scoreboard first, posting a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Bailey Sims (Flowery Branch, Ga.) sent a double screaming down the left line and junior Taylor Hargrove (Greenbrier, Tenn.) followed with a single that also hugged the same field line. Junior Chelsea Thomas (Hot Springs, Ark.) unloaded a double that bounced off the top rail of the centerfield fence to plate the two runners and put Belmont on top, 2-0. However, the Mastodons were able to trim the lead in half after sending a runner home in the top of the second inning.
The Bruins fired back in the bottom of the third, lifted by a solo homerun by senior Jess Andee (Darien, Ill.), her third of the season. The solo shot gave Belmont a 3-1 advantage halfway through the contest.
The Mastodons inched to within one run, 3-2, after scooting a run over the plate in the top of the fourth frame. However, the Bruins refused to relinquish their lead down the stretch, keeping Fort Wayne off the board for the remainder of the contest to secure their win by the same score.
BU saw Sims, and Thomas and classmate Baylee Cook (Lewisburg, Tenn.) record doubles along with Andree's solo homerun in the win.
Sophomore Brooklin Lee (Burns, Tenn.) notched her fifth complete game of the season and her fourth victory. She rang up six strikeouts in the win.
Belmont returns to action at E.S. Rose Park next weekend, hosting the Bruin Classic, March 2-4.
