HARTSVILLE, S.C. – The Belmont Abbey Crusaders picked up a pair of Conference Carolinas wins over the Coker Lady Cobras in conference softball action on Sunday afternoon. The Crusaders defeated Coker 3-2 and 2-0, giving them their first series sweep over the Lady Cobras in recent history. The losses drop the Lady Cobras to 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference, while the Abbey improves to 8-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play.

GAME ONE

In game one the Crusaders used seven hits and a Coker error to score three runs on their way to the victory. The Abbey plated their first run in the second inning and then Coker evened the game at one in the sixth inning with an RBI from pinch hitter Nicole Rountree (Columbia, S.C.). Belmont Abbey added two more runs in the top of the seventh and the Lady Cobras did manage to get one more run in the bottom of the inning, but were unable to do any more damage and the Abbey came away with the 3-2 win.

Kim Anders earned the win, throwing a complete game allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Beck Dillon (West Palm Beach, Fla.) took the loss, giving up two runs on two hits in an inning of work for the Lady Cobras.

Haleigh Rogers (Ward, S.C.) was the only Coker player with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Brittany Owens (Johnsonville, S.C.) and Jaclin Poole (Clover, S.C.) were each 1-for-3.

Anders helped her own cause at the plate, as she was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored, while Megan Riveros was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored and Carol-Anne Sherrill had a hit and an RBI.

GAME TWO

Belmont Abbey used a run in the first and a run in the sixth to go along with a shutout pitcher performance by Emily Self to earn the 2-0 win in game two.

Self allowed just three hits with three strikeouts in her seven scoreless innings on the mound. Coker’s Jordan Atkinson (Bishopville, S.C.) (1-0) took the loss in her first collegiate outing. She went all seven innings allowing two runs on seven hits with a strikeout.

Rogers, Sarah Rountree (Plantation, Fla.) and Julia Nelson-Abbott (Evans, Ga.) each had a hit for Coker, while Sherrill had three hits for the Crusaders, Becca Rothrock had two hits and Erin Evans drove in a run for Belmont Abbey.

Coker returns to the field on March 5-7 when they travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to play in the Mid-South Classic Tournament. Their first game is against North Greenville University on March 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Related Items: Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score