BLOOMINGTON — The Belmont softball team notched its 10th win of the season Monday afternoon with a dominating 14-1 victory at River Ridge/Cassville.
    Sophomore shortstop Nikki Knebel went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs to lead the second-ranked Braves (10-0 overall, 6-0 SRC) to their sixth straight conference victory.
    Sadie Willborn (7-0) went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs, and picked up the win in the pitching circle. She allowed one unearned run on one hit in four innings before giving way to senior Paige Nolan.
    Nolan, who went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBIs at the plate, pitched three scoreless innings, striking out two and walking one, to earn the three-inning save.
    Senior third baseman Maddie Rand went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored.
    Last Thursday, Belmont scored three runs in the top of the third inning and cruised to a 7-1 victory at Barneveld.
    Rand went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
    Nolan (3-0) struck out four and allowed just one run on four hits to earn her third pitching win of the season.
    Last Tuesday, Willborn was effectively wild. She worked around five walks in a one-hit shutout of Highland. The sophomore ace struck out 11 Cardinals in the 6-0 win.
    Rand again had the hot bat, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
    Belmont has upcoming Six Rivers’ games at Argyle on Thursday, April 27, at Potosi on Monday, May 1, and Tuesday, May 2. The Braves also have a non-conference game against Southwestern at home on Friday, April 28. All four games are set to start at 5 p.m.

Belmont……. 001  050  0 – 6  8  0
Highland…… 000  000  0 – 0  1  1
Leading Hitters:   Maddie Rand 3x4, Nicole Knebel 2x3. 2B– Rand, Paige Nolan.
WP- Sadie Willborn. LP- McMannes.
At Highland, on Tuesday, April 18

Belmont……. 300  110  2 – 7  7  2
Barneveld…. 000  010  0 – 1  4  2
Leading Hitters:   Maddie Rand 3x4. 2B– Rand, Caitlyn Gilbertson, Sadie Willborn.
WP- Paige Nolan. LP- Hendrickson.
At Barneveld, on Thursday, April 20

Belmont…….. 610  002  5 – 14  14  5
RR/Cas……… 001  000  0 –   1    1  2
Leading Hitters: Maddie Rand 2x4, Paige Nolan 3x5, Sadie WIllborn 2x4, Nikki Knebel 2x5, Lydia Leahy 2x4. HR– Knebel. 3B– Rand. 2B– Nolan, Willborn, Callie Douglas.
WP- Willborn. LP- Vogt.
At Patch Grove, on Monday, April 24