CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Queens Royals (16-19/7-3 CC) had a tale of two games against the Belmont Abbey Crusaders (9-29/3-13 CC) Monday evening at Park Road Park. In the Conference Carolinas contest Queens won the first game 8-0 in six innings, and battled through eight innings to pick up the 4-3 win.
Queens had 16 combined hits in the doubleheader while giving up 10.
The Royals found their bats quick in the first game, while it took to get some offense going in game two.
Game 1
For the first time this season Queens closed a game early, defeating the opponent with the mercy rule.
Kari Kmetic (Milwaukie, Ore., Putnam) homered for the third time this season, driving in Amanda Bowman (Kernersville, N.C,, Glenn) to give Queens a 2-0 lead in the first. Bowman connected for a double in her first chance at the plate.
Dodge would give up three hits in the game, one in the second, fourth and sixth innings.
Queens tacked on five more runs to the lead in the second, starting with a hit from Dodge. Kayla Short walked Audra Littlejohn (Riverside, Calif., Centennial ) and Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st ) singled to bring in Dodge and advance Littlejohn. Another walked batter kept the bases loaded for Queens. One batter would go down swinging and Kmetic came to the plate again.
In this at bat Kmetic doubled driving in another two runs. Campbell had the last of the four hits in the inning, clearing Giurintano and Kmetic from the bases.
Seven runs in two innings is one of the largest leads Queens has had all season. Against then No. 17 Francis Marion University, Queens was up 4-0 after the first inning. The five runs in the second is the most runs the Royals have scored in a single inning all season.
A ground out by Giurintano in the sixth drove in the final run of the game, ending it at 8-0.
Short takes the loss for the Abbey. She gave up nine hits in 5.1 innings.
Dodge earns the win for the Royals, improving to 10-13 on the season.
Crusaders' Tara Ruebel was 2-3 in the game and Alysia Stewart was 1-3.
Kmetic went 2-3 with a homer, a double and four RBIs. Dodge and Littlejohn were each 1-2 in the game.
Game 2
In the bottom of the eighth with two outs down, Kmetic had a sac bunt to start the inning and advance Bowman to third. The first of the Royals pitchers, Stephens, stepped to the plate and made contact for a double, driving in the tying RBI. Dodge came to the plate next and again made contact, this time driving in the game winning run.
Queens tied the game at two-all in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer from Giurintano. Giurintano sailed one over the right-center field fence for her first home run of the year.
Belmont Abbey jumped out to a two run lead in the top half of the fifth, also with a two-run homer. Danielle Devlin doubled with two outs gone and the bases were cleared by Katie Hobbs.
Through the first four innings, the two teams combined for five hits. The Abbey offense was making contact, but strong defensive play by the Royals kept the batters from reaching base. Stephens struck out three in the first three innings as did Danielle Puckett for Belmont Abbey.
Offensively, Giurintano led the Royals connecting on two-of-three. Hobbs was 2-4 for the Abbey.
Stephens pitched through the seventh inning and retired six with strikeouts. She gave up seven hits. Dodge game in to close the game.
Puckett threw every pitcher for the Abbey, giving up seven hits and striking out five.
