Nashville, Tenn. - In the 24-year history of Stetson softball no game had ever ended in a tie - until Friday. Stetson and Belmont played to a 7-7 draw in game two of an Atlantic Sun Conference doubleheader at Aquinas Field. The contest was called after six innings due to rain and darkness.
In game one, Stetson's Amanda Lindsey tossed a one-hit shutout and struck out a career-high 13 batters in a 4-0 Hatter victory. Stetson improved to 28-13-1 (2-1-1 A-Sun)
overall while Belmont dropped to 10-16-1 (2-5-1).
In the first contest, the Hatters scored all four of their runs in the top of the fifth inning. Belmont's Sammi Parks threw four perfect innings before walking the bases loaded
with one out in the fifth. Pinch-hitter Katie Lawrence then delivered a sacrifice fly to give the Hatters a 1-0 lead. After Amy Joyce reached on an error, Andrea Migliori cleared the bases with a three-run double down the left field line.
Lindsey (14-9) allowed just one hit - a fourth inning single to Erin Gier - and did not allow a runner past second base. Parks (8-9) suffered the loss despite allowing just two hits.
Game two featured a much-more offensive flavor. Belmont grabbed an early 1-0 lead as Angie Helseth doubled and later scored on a squeeze bunt by Jes McMillian in the bottom of the first inning.
The Hatters responded with five runs in the top of the second. Lawrence collected a pinch-hit RBI single to plate the Hatters first run. Lindsay Wightman, Amanda Bailey, and Nicole Forbes also drove in runs, while Blythe Golden scored on a wild pitch.
Mandy Stanley homered in the bottom of the second inning for Belmont to cut the lead to 5-2.
The Hatters added two more runs in the third on RBIs from Wightman and Lindsey to take a 7-2 lead, b ut Belmont battled back in the bottom of the third as the rain began to fall. Two doubles, three walks, and a hit batter helped the Bruins pull within two at 7-5.
After a 40-minute rain delay in the fourth inning, Belmont rallied to tie the game with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Neither team managed to score in the sixth and with no lights available at Aquinas Field and the rain returning, the umpires called the game with the score tied at seven.
The Hatters will stay in Nashville to face Lipscomb at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Notes: Stetson improved to 13-0-1 all-time vs. Belmont ... Lindsey fell three strikeouts shy of the school single-game record of 16, set by Melanie McElhaney vs. Belmont at Aquinas Field back in 2002.
