NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont softball team (2-2) split action on day two of its Spring Kickoff Tournament on Saturday at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins went to extra innings to defeat Valparaiso, 2-1, but fell in the nightcap to Western Illinois, 10-2.
Sophomore Amanda Criscione (Upland, Calif.) was the first player for either team to record a hit in the top of third in what would become a huge dual between freshman pitchers. Rookie Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) turned in an excellent showing in her collegiate debut. Valparaiso was able to tally one run in the bottom of the third inning but it would not be long before the Bruins began building momentum toward making a mark on the scoreboard.
Junior Mia Vierra (Palmdale, Calif.) smashed her first triple of the season to open the fourth inning but was stranded after Valpo's Taylor Weissenhofer turned up the heat inside the circle to keep the Crusaders on top 1-0. Belmont had a great opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth, going on to load the bases with just one out on the board before a foul tip was caught. However, the Bruins would settle for tying the score at one after senior Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.) was sent to first base courtesy of four balls to push sophomore Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Texas) over the plate. The score would remain stalemated at 1-1, forcing the game into extra innings.
To open the international tie breaker, a sacrifice bunt by was followed by a sacrifice fly by Vierra to give Belmont a slim 2-1 lead. Valpo's first batter muffed a sacrifice attempt but it was able to load the bases on back-to-back walks. However, Snodgress continued to put in work inside the circle and wrapped the game with her ninth strikeout of the game to secure to 2-1 victory.
After a pair of uneventful innings to open the game with Western Illinois, the Leathernecks opened the third inning with a series hits to load the bases and used some squeeze plays to tally a 5-0 lead by the end of it. Belmont worked to get back in the contest in the bottom of the same inning. Freshman Jordan Daly (Humble, Texas) sliced a ball up the middle to send sophomore Kirbie Ferrell (Pasadena, Texas), who notched an RBI earlier in the inning, looking to spark the Bruins. However, the two runs would be all BU could put together as the Leathernecks got hot twice more before the end of the game, cementing the win. WIU would add three in the fourth inning and two more in the top of the seventh to take the game, 10-2.
For the day, Ferrell and sophomore Kat Hollingsworth (Carrollton, Texas) led the Bruins with two runs apiece. Vierra knocked her first triple of the season. Daly, Ferrell, Vierra and senior Courtney Elrod (Clarksville, Tenn.) finished with one RBI each.
Inside the circle, Snodgress finished with 10 strikeouts and notched her first complete game and career win. Junior Brittanie Albright (Franklin, Tenn.), freshman Taylor Moon (Vestavia, Ala.) and sophomore Katie Clancy (Pasadena, Calif.) also saw time and combined for four strikeouts.
Belmont returns to action the weekend of February 15-16 at the Alabama State Hornet Invitational. The Bruins will take on UNC Greensboro and host-ASU on the first day of competition.
