The Queens softball team took two from Belmont Abbey this afternoon in Conference Carolinas action in Belmont, N.C. The Royals won game one 12-5 and took game two 9-6 in eight innings. Queens moves to 18-17 overall and 9-2 in Conference Carolinas, while the Abbey drops to 17-19 overall and 9-7 in Conference Carolinas.

Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawhatchee) picked up both wins having pitched a complete game one and came in as relief in game two. The Royals offense had a bang up day collecting 32 hits between the two games.

 

Game One

In the opener, Queens scored first with two runs in the top of the second as Maria Goode (Charlotte, N.C., Providence) put down a squeeze that scored Ashley Wilson (North Pole, Alaska, North Pole ) from third. Goode's single loaded the bases for Amanda Bowman (Kernersville, N.C,, Glenn), who was hit by a pitch that brought home Dodge for the second run.

 

The Abbey answered back in the bottom of the inning as it took advantage of a Royals error to score two runs. Becca Rothrock drew a leadoff walk and was replaced by Katyln Coyne. Emily Self sacrificed Coyne to second, and she moved to third on a single by Candace Cady. After a lineout, Kim Anders drew a walk to load the bases. Kasey Kerley followed with a slap grounder to shortstop Alisha Waldrop (McDonough, GA , Luella). Waldrop threw home, but the ball was off line, allowing Coyne to score and Cady to come around from second to knot the game at two.

 

Queens moved right back ahead in the top of the third with two runs, as Waldrop led off with an infield single, and moved to third on a single by Megan Lathbury (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central). Dodge sacrificed Lathbury to second, and Brandy Jester (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central) plated Waldrop with a squeeze bunt. Carrie Beth Richie (Fayetteville, N.C., Northwood Temple Academy) drove home Lathbury with a single to right.

 

The Royals moved their advantage to 6-2 in the fifth, and they added three more in the sixth, as Jester ripped a two-RBI single and Goode followed with an opposite field single down the leftfield line.

 

Belmont Abbey trimmed the lead to 9-5 in its half of the sixth by scoring three runs. Carol-Anne Sherrill led off with an infield single and moved to third on a double by Anna Smart. After a groundout, Self grounded out to second that allowed Sherill to score, and Cady followed with a single that plated Smart. Tara Ruebel and Anders drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Kerley, who beat out an infield single that scored Cady.

 

The Royals closed the scoring in the seventh with three runs, as Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st) beat out an infield single and stole second. Megan Campbell (Raleigh, N.C., Athens Drive) brought home Turner with a double down the rightfield line and was thrown out at third trying to stretch the play into a triple. Waldrop, the next batter, ripped a solo homer to move the lead to 11-5. Richie closed the scoring with a single to right center that scored Dodge, who singled earlier.

 

Dodge earned the win after limiting the Abbey to five runs, three earned, on seven hits in six innings. She struck out five and walked five. Self took the loss after surrendering nine runs on 17 hits in six innings.

 

Turner led the Royals with four hits in five at bats. Jester had two hits with three RBI. Dodge, Campbell and Waldrop all had three hits as Queens registered 22. The Abbey totaled eight hits as Kerley finished with three. Cady and Sherrill had two each.

 

Game Two

In the nightcap, Belmont Abbey drew first blood in the bottom of the third on a solo homer by Alysia Stewart. Two innings later, the Abbey upped its lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs. Sami Michaelis drew a one-out walk and moved to second on an infield single by Kerley. Megan Riveros was issued a free pass to load the bases. Sherrill came to the plate and fouled off eight pitches before ringing a double to left center to score Michaelis and Kerley.

 

The lead lasted one half inning as the Royals scored five runs on four hits in the sixth, using a pair of two-RBI singles by Dodge and Richie, and the other on a bases loaded wild pitch.

 

Neither team scored until the bottom of the seventh, when faced with its final three outs, the Abbey scored two runs to send the game into extra innings. The Crusaders loaded the bases with nobody out on a single by Michaelis, a double by Kerley and an infield single by Riveros. Jester then came in to replace Dodge in the circle, and she was greeted by a single to left by Sherrill that scored Michaelis and Kerley to knot the game at five. Smart then dropped a bunt single that dribbled all the way to second base, where Campbell ran the ball down and cut down Riveros at the plate to keep the game alive after Riveros tried to score from second. With one out, Rothrock was intentionally walked and was lifted for Coyne. With Sherrill at third and Coyne at first, Dodge ended the threat with two strikeouts to send the game into extra innings.

 

In the eighth, Queens plated four runs on four hits, as it scored the go-ahead run quickly. Megan Rollins was placed on second to begin the inning, and Dodge moved her to third with a sacrifice bunt. Jester then shot a ground ball to second, where Smart threw home to nab Rollins, but she beat the throw to put the Royals ahead to stay. Richie and Goode followed with singles, and Bowman widened the gap to two with a single that scored Jester. After a grounder cut down Richie at home Campbell dropped a single to left center, scoring Goode and Bowman.

 

Down five runs, the Abbey was able to get one in the eighth as Ruebel was placed on second to begin the frame. Stewart singled her to third. After a strikeout, Kerley beat out a double play attempt that cut down Stewart at second, but Ruebel scored easily to trim the lead to 9-6, which was the final.

 

Dodge picked up the win in two innings of relief, holding the Abbey to an unearned run on three hits in two innings. She struck out three. Anders took the loss after giving up nine runs, eight earned, on 12 hits in seven and two-thirds innings. She struck out nine.

 

Belmont Abbey finished with ten hits as Sherrill finished two for three with four RBI. Kerley was three for five with an RBI and two runs scored.

 

Campell and Dodge led Queens with two hits apiece, with two RBI. Jester also had an RBI. The Royals totaled 12 hits for the game.