NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont University Softball team continued its perfect opening weekend at home, sweeping a Saturday doubleheader against Southern Indiana at E.S. Rose Park. Belmont earned an 8–4 win in game one before closing the day with a 5–0 shutout, improving to 4–0 on the weekend against the Screaming Eagles.
VS Southern Indiana – Game 1 (8–4)
Belmont wasted no time jumping on the board in the first inning as Nicole Hughes doubled to right center to score Emily Konz, followed by an RBI single from Maddy Balsiger to give the Bruins a 2–0 edge.
Southern Indiana evened the score in the third, but Belmont answered immediately. Madison Dolecki reached on an error to bring in a run before Balsiger delivered again, singling up the middle to plate two and put the Bruins back in front, 5–2.
The Bruins added insurance in the fifth. Brenna Blume lifted a sacrifice fly before Lydia VanderWoude crushed a two-run home run to extend the lead to 8–2.
Southern Indiana pushed across runs in the sixth and seventh, but Hannah Leierer closed it out in the circle. Leierer scattered nine hits, allowed just three earned runs, and earned the complete-game win.
VS Southern Indiana – Game 2 (5–0)
Belmont controlled game two from the start, scoring three runs in the first inning. Hughes opened the scoring with an RBI single, while bases-loaded walks from Blume and Ryan Breer extended the early advantage.
The Bruins added a run in the second on another RBI single from Balsiger and capped the scoring in the fourth when VanderWoude advanced on a throwing error, allowing Hughes to cross the plate.
In the circle, Mackenzie Willis was dominant, tossing six shutout innings while striking out 11 and allowing just one hit. Ally Middleton made her season debut in the seventh, retiring the side to secure the combined shutout.
Up Next
Belmont returns to action Sunday for the final game of the weekend, taking on Ohio University at 12 p.m. CT at E.S. Rose Park.
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