TROY, Ala. -- Belmont University Softball opened the season with an impressive 6-2 win over Troy University.
No amount of rain could stop the Bruins today, from the start the Bruins had their eyes on winning. Leadoff hitter Emma Barnes struck a double to center field. Kristen Green followed with her first homerun of the season to go up by two over the Trojans.
Freshman, Nicole Hughes earned herself a walk in her first career at bat. Baie Ensio put Hughes in scoring position with a single. Hughes' walk transitioned to the Bruins' third run of the night brought in by Brenna Blume's first career hit. Emily Cockrill added insult to injury in the first with a single to right field to bring in Ensio.
The 4-0 score remained until the bottom of the fourth. Troy scored on a single with two outs. Starting pitcher, Johnson quickly ended the inning with a strikeout.
Abi Ledbetter started the fourth with a walk. Dependable Barnes, reached first again with a single up the middle. Both advancing on a wild pitch. Dara Haynie earned her first RBI to bring Ledbetter home. A Troy fielding error gave the Bruins their sixth run of the game. The Bruins closed out the fourth with the bases unable to bring any additional runs in.
Troy attempted to catch up to the Bruins in the bottom of the sixth, on a wild pitch, 6-2.
Johnson had a fantastic debut performance with a win to her name, all 7 innings pitched for 117 pitches, 10 strikeouts, allowing only 4 hits. Johnson ended five consecutive innings with swinging strikeouts.
Green not only sent out the first homerun of the season but earned the team high of the day in RBI with 3. Barnes and Gressly both added two hits to their name to finalize opening day.
The Bruins will be back tomorrow to face SIUE at 11 a.m. and a rematch against Troy at 5 p.m at the Trojan Classic.
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