BELMONT, N.C. – The Chowan Softball team rallied to take the nightcap in a doubleheader split against Belmont Abbey on the road in non-conference action on Thursday afternoon.
THE BASICS
FINAL | Game One: Chowan 1, Belmont Abbey 4 | Game Two: Chowan 3, Belmont Abbey 2
RECORDS | Chowan 2-2, Belmont Abbey 3-1
LOCATION | Belmont, N.C. (Crusaders Field)
INSIDE THE BOXSCORES
Shelby Griffis picked up her first win of the season bouncing back from the season opener. Griffis tossed 7.0 allowing two runs (one earned) off five hits.
Brittany Parson tallied two hits in the night cap. Haley Cooper picked up two hits on the afternoon with a clutch double in the night cap. Cooper notched two RBI.
Kris Neal and Beth Walker picked up two hits each. Walker and Donya Salman recorded one RBI each.
Milestone Watch: Coach Brian DeWitt secured his 96th win of his career.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One: Chowan 1, Belmont Abbey 4
Belmont Abbey struck first in the bottom of the opening inning on two hits to take a 1-0 lead.
Chowan was able to answer in the top of the fourth inning. Shannon Buchanan and Lindsey Stigler reached via a hit-by-pitch and walk. Beth Walker delivered a two out double to left center scored Buchanan for a 1-1 score.
The Hawks had a chance to take the lead back in the fifth inning as Brittany Parson led off the inning reaching on an error. Donya Salman moved up the pinch running Carliegh Wildeboer on a ground out. Mackenzie Taggart sent a shot up the middle for a single. Wildeboer was thrown out trying to score to end the inning.
The Crusaders capitalized on two Hawks errors in the inning to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 4-1.
Chowan loaded the bases in the top of the sixth inning but was turned away. Kris Neal singled to center with two outs to start the rally. Beth Walker drew a walk before Haley Cooper reached on an infield single.
Game Two: Chowan x, Belmont Abbey x
Neither team was able to get much going in the early going as Belmont Abbey claimed the first hit of the contest in the bottom of the second inning.
Belmont Abbey loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning as two hits and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bags. A fielder's choice and a fly out ended the threat.
Chowan saw their first runner of the game in the top of the fourth inning as Lindsey Stigler drew a two out walk. Kris Neal drove a pitch over the left field wall but was robbed for the final out of the inning.
The Hawks would crack the scoreless ball game in the top of the fifth inning. Beth Walker reached to start the inning on an error. Brittany Parson tallied the first hit of the contest for the Hawks with a single through the left side of the infield. Miranda Glover drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Donya Salman drove a pitch to the right field wall for the first run of the contest. Back-to-back fielder's choices ended the threat.
Belmont Abbey countered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on two hits and an error to take the lead 2-1.
Chowan looked to tie the contest up in the top of the sixth inning as Kris Neal singled with one out. Beth Walker followed with a single to center. The inning ended with a double play.
CU continued to fight back in the final inning as Brittany Parson starts the inning with a single to left. Miranda Glover reached with a bunt single. A ground out by Donya Salman put runners on second and third with one out.
The clutch hit came by Haley Cooper in the seventh inning with two outs and a full count as Cooper ripped a double to left center scoring two to take a 3-2 lead.
Shelby Griffis produced three groundouts to end the contest.
UP NEXT
Chowan returns home for a midweek doubleheader against Mount Olive on Wednesday, February 14. First pitch is at 1pm.
