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Box Score 2 OXFORD, Ala. – Belmont University Softball finalized their historic season in a historic way at Choccolocco Park on Saturday afternoon in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship game. The Bruins secured the if needed game with a 3-0 win over the Racers. The Bruins fell 3 runs short of the conference title in the second tilt of the day.
A season filled with many highs led to the very first Belmont appearance in the OVC Championship. The 2022 Belmont Softball team was something special. The Bruins started off their historic season by breaking the program record winning streak at eleven. Emma Summers pitched a perfect game against Morehead State, the first ever in program history. The Bruins led the NCAA in stolen bases. In Division 1 the Bruins posted the best winning percentage, most conference wins, the best conference finish, the best conference tournament, and the most All-Conference honorees.
Individually the Bruins posted impressive statistics, Cheyenne Cavanaugh finished her career with the sixth highest batting average in the nation at .450, landing her fourth in the single season all time record book and first in the Division I era. Cavanaugh now holds the Belmont career record for stolen bases. Her 69 hits on the season places her in third in the single season record book and second in the Division 1 era. Cavanaugh's 12 doubles tie for sixth in the Belmont record book.
With 138 strikeouts to her name, Emma Summers finished in the eighth spot for the single season record. A 2.04 ERA lands her tenth in the single season while 14 wins ties her for fifth.
Cavanaugh, Summers, and Alicia Veltri were named to the All-OVC Conference team during the Championship Ceremony.
Game One:
Belmont Softball brought it in game one, with double elimination on the line the Bruins fought hard for a chance to play in the deciding game.
Cavanaugh got the momentum going for the Bruins with a single. An added stolen base to Cavanaugh's 31 total on the season led to an additional base on a throwing error from the catcher.
The Bruins posted two innings, the second and the fifth loading the Murray State bases, yet successfully got out of both without any damage. The Bruins held the Racers to a shutout to secure the win.
Bottom of the fourth the Bruins took the lead. Emily Cockrill reached first on a walk to get the Bruins started. Designated player Gabrielle Givers sent a single into right field, the Racer right fielder lost the ball on the ground giving Givers two more bases and scored Cockrill. Elison Ollinger posted a clutch hit to right field to bring Givers in from third, 2-0.
Bottom of the sixth, a throwing error from the shortstop gave Givers a base. She was then brought home on a RBI ground ball to the second baseman from Emma Barnes.
The Racers attempted to come back in the seventh but were unsuccessful. Two singles started the inning, a pitching change brought in Emma Summers to close out the game. Smart in the circle, Summers got the force out at third base. Two fly outs later, the Bruins were headed to the Championship game.
Game Two:
Season on the line, the Bruins left everything they had at Choccolocco Park. The Bruins got to work in the first, Cavanaugh sent a single to left field. Kristen Green up, grounded out to third base successfully moving Cavanaugh. Ledbetter also with a ground out, a throwing error by the third baseman put the Bruins on the board with a Cavanaugh run.
The Racers countered quickly with a solo home run into left center in the second from Sierra Gilmore to tie the game, 1-1.
Murray State went up over the Bruins in the fourth, a single and a walk put two Racer's on base. A single from Jordan Caple and a throwing error from Cavanaugh gave the Racer's the lead, but only for a half inning.
Cavanaugh added a single to her name, Ensio reached on an error from the second baseman. Green at the plate produced a hard hit up the middle to score Cavanaugh and tie the game once again.
Bases loaded for the Racers and a ground out play scored the leading run. Murray State posted an additional two runs in the sixth on a solo homerun and a double to secure the 5-2 win over the Bruins.
All in all, the Bruins fought hard all season to make the championship game. Their hard work and determination did not go unnoticed. Big things are brewing for the 2023 season, they'll be back.
Follow Belmont Softball on social media - @BelmontSoftball on Twitter and @belmontsoftball on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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