Hickory, N.C. - The ninth-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne Softball Team (2-0) opened the 2012 season Wednesday afternoon by sweeping a doubleheader from Belmont Abbey (0-2), 6-1 and 7-4, at Bears Field.
Game One - Lenoir-Rhyne 6,
Belmont Abbey 1
L-R sophomore third baseman Haily Jarman (Wadesboro, N.C.) gave the Bears all the offense they would need with a first-inning grand slam.
Lenoir-Rhyne added a single run in the third frame on a bases-loaded walk to senior second baseman Carlee Carpenter (Newton, N.C.) before the teams traded single runs in the sixth inning for the 6-1 final.
L-R senior Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) (1-0), last year's South Atlantic Conference Pitcher Of The Year, was credited with the win after allowing just one run while striking out nine batters.
Belmont Abbey's Nikki Faust (Concord, N.C.) fell to 0-1 after suffering the loss.? Jordan Killian (Phoenix, Ariz.) drove in Belmont Abbey's only run of the game.
Box Score
Game Two - Lenoir-Rhyne 7, Belmont Abbey 4
The Bears took control early with six runs in the first three innings of play and held on to complete the sweep of the Crusaders.
L-R took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning beginning with an RBI double from Carpenter.? Carpenter finished two-for-two in both games and drove in two runs in the second contest.
A run-scoring double by junior first baseman Jessica Fellmeth (Waxhaw, N.C.) was part of Lenoir-Rhyne's three-run second inning before Carpenter drove in another run with a double in the third.
Belmont Abbey's Amber Faust (Concord, N.C.) and Aleshia Peek (Asheville, N.C.) each connected on RBI doubles in the fifth and seventh innings, respectively, but the Crusaders came up short.
Junior Megan Laxton (Taylorsville, N.C.) (1-0) went the distance on the mound to pick up the win for the Bears while the Crusaders' Savannah Carpenter (Anderson, S.C.) suffered the loss.
Box Score
Lenoir-Rhyne next competes in the Hughston Sports Clinic Classic in Columbus, Ga., this weekend.? L-R plays Columbus State (2:00 p.m.) and Augusta State (6:00 p.m.) on Friday on the first day of the tournament.
