Jennifer Jones drove in all three Mount Olive runs with a solo home run and a tie-breaking two-run single as the Trojans opened conference play with a 3-2 victory over St. Andrews in game one of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Thursday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. Sarah Saunders went six-plus innings for the win and Lauren Smith picked up her first collegiate save.
The Trojans took the nightcap 9-0 in five innings as Katie Moore drove in three runs with a two-out solo homer in the second and a two-run double in a four-run third inning. Smith tossed a four-hitter for her fifth shutout of the season.
Mount Olive (13-9, 2-0 Conference Carolinas) trailed 1-0 in the opener when Jones led off the bottom of the fifth and sent the first pitch over the left field fence to tie the game. The home run was the first for the freshman shortstop.
The Trojans got back-to-back one-out singles by Robbin Kennedy and Christie Wright, and both runners advanced on a groundout to give Jones two runners in scoring position. Jones lined the first pitch into center as Kennedy scored the go-ahead run and pinch-runner Megan Ready beat the throw to the plate to give Mount Olive a 3-1 lead.
Saunders (1-0) did not allow a leadoff baserunner until Vanessa Giacomin walked to lead off the seventh. Smith took over and retired the first two batters on a sacrifice and a line drive right back at her. St. Andrews made it a one-run game when Jenn George fought back from an 0-2 count to line a single to left and advanced on the throw. But Smith ended the game on a strikeout looking.
St. Andrews (6-24, 1-5) broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when Brittany Gunn lined a two-out double to left-center and advanced to third on Amanda VanKleeck's infield single. Gunn scored on an infield fielding error to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.
Saunders struck out three, scattered six hits and allowed two runs, one unearned. She retired the side in order in the second and worked around a two-out baserunner in the fifth and sixth innings.
Kayla Voorhees went 3-for-3 to lead the Trojans' nine hit attack.
After going the distance in game one, St. Andrews pitcher Jessica Wiegers retired the first five Trojan batters on just five pitches in game two. Moore broke up the shutout and no-hit bid with a home run to left on a 3-2 pitch to give Mount Olive a 1-0 lead.
Beth Overman led off the bottom of the third with a double and Anna Munizza reached on a fielder's choice when Overman made it back to second safely in a rundown. Danielle Mitchell beat out an infield single to load the bases and Kennedy plated Overman with a single down the left field line.
Gunn took over for Wiegers and got a force at home for the second out. But an error on a ground ball brought in an unearned run and Moore doubled to left-center to extend the Trojans' lead to 5-0.
Smith (8-3) retired 11 consecutive batters until Amber Madden doubled with two outs in the top of the fifth and Giacomin reached on an infield single. Smith got her fourth strikeout of the game to end the Knights' threat. She did not issue a walk and faced only four batters over the minimum.
The Trojans took advantage of three errors to seal the win in a four-run fifth inning. Moore drove in her fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly and Jones singled home a run to give Mount Olive a 7-0 lead. A throwing error on a ground ball brought in the final two runs.
Mount Olive is idle until Wednesday when the Trojans travel to Hartsville, S.C., to take on Coker in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader. Mount Olive was swept by Coker in the regular season last year, but came back with a 13-6 victory over the Cobras in the first round of the 2011 Conference Carolinas Tournament. Game time is 2 p.m.
