CHARLOTTE, N.C.- Queens (3-3; 1-1 Conference Carolinas) handed cross-town rival Belmont Abbey (4-1; 1-1 Conference Carolinas) its first loss of the season this afternoon at Park Road Park, but the Crusaders evened the slate taking game two.
The contests marked the first game in league action for both teams. Queens won the first game 1-0 while the Abbey won the second by the same score.
The Royals offense collected 14 hits between the two games to the Crusaders' three. Junior pitcher
Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawhatchee) led the Royals with four hits and freshman
Emily Poulton (Temecula, Calif., Great Oak) had three. All of Belmont Abbey's hits came from different players.
Game 1
Belmont Abbey: 0
Queens: 1
It is becoming a trend for the Queens offense, freshman
Kaitlyn Cheek (Richmond, Va,, JR Tucker ) stepped up big again. Cheek stayed hot and in the bottom of the fourth inning she put a long bomb over the fence to give Queens the 1-0 win.
Senior
Maria Goode (Charlotte, N.C., Providence) found a groove at the plate, connecting on two-of-three, and half of the Royals hits.
Dodge threw a complete game, giving up just one hit and striking out six. Belmont Abbey's Sami Michaelis also pitched a complete game, four hits and six K's, and had the only Crusader hit.
Game 2
Belmont Abbey: 1
Queens: 0
The Royals bats continued to connect in the second game, collecting 10 hits. Queens had six through the third, but stalled in the following innings.
Senior
Brandy Jester (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central) gave up just two hits, both in the fourth, would doom the Royals. Anna Smart singled and a double by Kinsey McClure drove in the winning run.
The Royals tried to get a rally going in the seventh. The first two batters were out, but Dodge singled bringing Cheek to the plate. Belmont Abbey intentionally walked Cheek avoiding what could be a game-winning two-run shot. Jester closed the game with a groundout to third.
Dodge went 4-4 and Poulton was 2-3.
The Royals look to bounce back at home against West Virginia Tech on Friday, Feb. 18 with the first pitch at 2pm.
