Salisbury, N.C. —- The Catawba College softball team earned wins on both ends of a doubleheader with Belmont Abbey, including a comeback win in the finale.
GAME ONE | Catawba 9, Belmont Abbey 1 (6 innings)
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Belmont Abbey 12-3
- Both teams hit a homer; the Catawba Indians had two of three extra-base hits
- The Crusaders committed both errors in the game
- Catawba recorded both stolen bases in the contest
- The Catawba Indian starter allowed one run on three hits and one walk, striking out eight; Abbey's staff allowed nine runs on 12 hits and two walks, striking out three
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Dakotah Wilkins was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and a run scored
- Grace Flynn singled, drove in two and scored a run
- Maddy Altiers homered and drove in two
- Lainey Ruscoe singled twice and scored twice
- Ruscoe also went the distance in the circle for the Catawba Indians; striking out a career-high eight batters across six innings with one run given up on a home run
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Wilkins' one-out double allowed Adda Prescott to drive her home on a single up the middle to score Catawba's first run
THIRD INNING
- Bella Boykin walked and stole second to lead off the third inning
- Abbey Nixon drove her home on a single to the left side to put Catawba up 2-0
FOURTH INNING
- Megan Towey's solo homer in the fourth was Belmont Abbey's first hit of the game
FIFTH INNING
- Altiers' two-run homer put the Catawba Indians ahead 4-1
SIXTH INNING
- An infield single and a walk led off the bottom of the sixth
- Boykin dropped down a bunt single and a throwing error scored a run
- Flynn ripped a single to left field to score two more, with Catawba ahead 7-1
- Wilkins' two-run single up the middle enacted the mercy rule at 9-1
GAME TWO |
TEAM STATISTICS
- Catawba out-hit Belmont Abbey 5-4
- The Crusaders hit three of four home runs
- BAC committed both errors in the contest
- The Catawba Indians recorded both stolen bases in the game
- Catawba's pitchers allowed four runs on four hits and three walks, striking out eight; Belmont Abbey's starter allowed four earned runs on five hits and two walks, striking out six
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
- Macie Crutchfield took a no-hit bid into the fourth inning, striking out five in her first collegiate start
- Kate Holland earned the win in the circle, going two-plus innings with one run allowed and two Ks
- Alex Baquie came in for the three-out save, inheriting the tying runner at first base and leaving her there
- Prescott homered and drove in two
- Alexis Monroe drove in the tying and go-ahead runs on an infield single
HOW IT HAPPENED
SECOND INNING
- Altiers singled to the infield and advanced to second on a throwing error
- Prescott's one-out homer scored the game's first runs
THIRD INNING
- Nixon reached first on an error to lead off the third
- She reached second on a sacrifice bunt and third on a wild pitch
- Nixon scored on a passed ball as Catawba scored on an inning they did not record a base hit
FOURTH INNING
- Belmont Abbey's Towery recorded a solo homer to break up a no-hit bid in the fourth inning for the second time on the afternoon
- Nora Cutler followed with a solo homer on the next at-bat to trim the Catawba lead to 3-2
FIFTH INNING
- Belmont Abbey got the tying run on base with a hit-by-pitch
- The Crusaders took their first lead of the day on a two-run homer
SIXTH INNING
- Flynn walked and stole second to lead off the sixth
- Wilkins singled and stole second to put the go-ahead runner in scoring position
- Monroe's infield single scored two runs to pull Catawba in front, 5-4
SEVENTH INNING
- Belmont Abbey walked to get the tying runner aboard
- Baquie came in to get the final three outs for the save
UP NEXT
- Catawba returns to Whitley Field on Saturday, taking on Shippensburg at 1 and 3 p.m.
