BELMONT, NC – Belmont Abbey dropped a CVAC double-header to Coker College Sunday afternoon, falling 8-5 and 8-0 in the twin-bill.  The Crusaders are now 4-16 overall and 1-7 in the conference, while Coker improves to 12-3, 3-1 in the CVAC.  

The Cobras used the long ball early to take control of both games.  In the first inning of game one, Allie Bragg hit a two-run shot and Kimberly Atkinson followed two batters later with a solo homer to put CC in front 3-0.  The visitors added two more runs in the second and scored two runs in the third on another bomb by Atkinson. 

The Abbey got on the board with a RBI double by sophomore Danni Beres in the fourth but Coker used another solo homerun in the fifth by Katie McCauley to make it 8-1.  BAC completed the scoring in the bottom half when freshman Tara Ruebel plated two with a single.

Somer Bigham pitched three no-hit innings for Coker before Shelly Catlett entered in the fourth and earned the win with four innings of work.  Erica Rutledge went the distance for Belmont Abbey with six earned runs allowed.

The Cobras struck for six runs in the second inning of game two and added a run in the fourth and fifth innings to end the contest early.  McCauley hit her second homer of the day, a three-run blast, in the second inning.

Bigham pitched a complete game for the win, allowing five hits and striking out seven in five innings.  Sophomore Carrie Markham took the loss with three strikeouts over five innings.

The Crusaders take a break now before traveling to Florence, SC on Friday, March 9 for the start of the Francis Marion University Tournament, while Coker will take on Pfeiffer University on Tuesday.