NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Friday's doubleheader saw the University of Evansville softball team drop a pair of games to Belmont. The opening game was a pitcher's duel that saw the Bruins take a 3-0 win before the second contest saw Belmont win by a final score of 11-3.
 
Game 1 – Belmont 3, UE 0
Belmont pitcher Maya Johnson struck out 19 batters while allowing one hit in a 3-0 win for the Bruins. Angela Valentine picked up the hit for the Purple Aces.
 
Looking to grab the early momentum, UE put two runners on in the first as Taylor Howe and Morgan Adams both reached on a walk. A strike out ended the threat and the Bruins would score the opening run of the day in the bottom of the first.
 
It remained a 1-0 game until the bottom of the fifth when Belmont added two more runs to chase UE starter Kate Ridgway. Reliever Sophia Otten limited the damage after entering with the bases loaded and no outs. After allowing a walk, Otten recorded the final three outs to keep it a 3-0 game.
 
From that point on, Johnson retired the final six batters in order to secure the win. Ridgway threw four innings with three earned runs scoring. She struck out five batters. Otten threw the final two innings.
 
Game 2 – Belmont 11, UE 3 (6 innings)
Evansville scored the first run of the day before Belmont responded with seven runs in the next three innings before finishing with an 11-3 victory.
 
Taylor Howe opened the scoring in the top half of the first. After reaching on a 1-out single, Howe scored on an infield single from Eliza Piggott. It did not take long for Belmont to counter as Lydia Vanderwoude hit a homer to lead off the bottom of the frame before they took a 2-1 lead.
 
The Bruins added two scored in the second and three in the third to go up 7-1. Evansville scored twice in the top of the fourth to get back within four. Eliza Piggott led things off with a solo home run. Jess Willsey followed with a triple before scoring on an RBI single by Ashtyn Holbrook. Belmont countered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and would finish the day with the 11-3 win.
 
Piggott recorded two of UE's six hits in the contest. Alexis Tucker made the start with nine runs, eight earned, scoring in four innings. Belmont registered 11 hits as Lizzie Ozim went 3-3 with two home runs, seven RBI, and three runs scored.
 
UE will look to take the series finale on Saturday at 1 p.m.