NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Belmont Softball inched one game closer to punching a ticket to the 2016 OVC Tournament when it completed the sweep of crosstown rival Tennessee State on Sunday at E.S. Rose Park. The Bruins (19-30, 11-10 OVC) defeated the Tigers (10-43, 3-21 OVC), 5-1, on Senior Day.
TSU struck first, notching a single run in the top of the first inning but Belmont was not far behind. Senior Jordan Daly (Humble, Texas) knocked her second triple of the season before freshman Jordan Spicer (Hendersonville, Tenn.) used a sacrifice fly to send her over the plate.
The Bruins kept the hits coming in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Amy Zeronian (Pasadena, Calif.) reached on four balls before a sacrifice bunt by freshman Sami Long capitalized on the upperclassman's speed and moved her to third base. Daly reached first on a walk and then and errant throw scored another BU run and moved Daly into scoring position. Spicer's turn at the plate produced a double that added one more run to put Belmont ahead, 3-1.
The Tiger bats remained silent and Belmont jumped at the opportunity to put across more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Back-to-back singles by junior Chelsey Deloney (Gardendale, Ala.) and senior Jess Wilson (Alvin, Texas) saw BU push offensively. Zeronian sacrificed her turn at the plate to move the duo into scoring position and a single by Hayley Baker (Rockwall, Texas) scored one. TSU's throwing continued to be off target allowing another run to score, putting Belmont on top 5-1.
Leaning on strong pitching from the combination of seniors Taylor Moon (Vestavia Hills, Ala.), Carolyn Snodgress (Torrance, Calif.) and Shelby Willard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and great defensive plays, Belmont held on for the win by the same score.
The win gives BU the most league wins in during both their stints in the Atlantic Sun and now the Ohio Valley Conference. The three game sweep is only the fourth in program history and the second this season, another program first. Nineteen overall wins is the most for the Bruins since the 1999 season.
Belmont returns to action next weekend with a three-game series at Jacksonville State, May 7-8. The games on Saturday can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network. All three matchups will have live stats available.
