Katie Moore drove in three runs and Rebekah McDaniel's sixth-inning leadoff home run helped thwart a rally as Mount Olive defeated King 6-3 in game one of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Saturday at Bristol, Tenn. Trojan starter Sarah Saunders picked up the win and Lauren Smith pitched the final three innings for the first of her two saves on the day.

The Trojans took the nightcap 4-0 as Christie Wright and Smith combined on a six-hit shutout. Smith retired four of five batters she faced in relief, while Jennifer Jones drove in a pair of runs for the Trojans.

Mount Olive (29-15, 15-5 Conference Carolinas) was locked in a scoreless tie in game two until Wright reached on an error to lead off the fifth inning. Pinch-runner Megan Ready advanced to second on a groundout and scored on Jones' single to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead.

Wright (6-6) struck out five and scattered five hits in 5 1/3 innings. She overcame a one-out single and double in the first inning with a pair of groundouts and retired the side in order in the fifth in her final full inning of work.

King (27-16, 11-9) threatened in the bottom of the sixth as Kendall Brabson and Christy Kooch both singled with one out. Smith took over for Wright and the threat ended when Trojan first baseman Beth Overman caught a line drive and stepped on the bag for an inning-ending double play.

The Trojans provided insurance for Smith with a three-run seventh inning. Robbin Kennedy led off with a single and scored on Wright's double to center. Wright beat the throw to third on an infielder grounder and scored on Jones' ground ball. A King throwing error brought in another run.

After allowing a leadoff infield single in the bottom of the seventh, Smith retired the side for her third save of the season. The shutout was the 11th this season for the Trojan pitching staff. Smith has 10 complete game shutouts in her freshman year.

In the opener, Mount Olive took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the second and third innings. Moore doubled home a run in the second and Overman had an rbi-double in the third.

A two-out error led to a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fifth for the Trojans. Overman and Danielle Mitchell singled with one out and Wright reached on an error to keep the inning. Overman and Mitchell came home on Moore's second double of the game as Mount Olive extended its lead to 4-0.

Saunders (5-1) held King scoreless through four innings until the Tornado answered in the bottom of the fifth and made it a one-run game. Aubree Hutt and Christina Melcher led off the inning with singles and both came home on Cora Milliken's double. Smith took over and retired the side on two groundouts and a strikeout, but Milliken scored on the second groundout to pull the Tornado within 4-3.

McDaniel sent a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence for her second home run of the season as the Trojans took a 5-3 lead. Kayla Voorhees singled with one out, stole second and scored on Mitchell's two-out double to give Mount Olive a three-run lead.

Smith allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, then retired the final six batters she faced.

Mount Olive's win total is its highest since recording 29 wins in 2008. The Trojans are one victory away from reaching the 30-win mark for the first time since 2007.

Mount Olive concludes regular season play Sunday as the Trojans head to Banner Elk, N.C., to take on Lees-McRae in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader. The Trojans' "magic number" is two to clinch the East Division and the No. 2 seed in next weekend's conference tournament. Mount Olive can clinch the East if the Trojans sweep Sunday's doubleheader or if Queens is swept by Barton or if both Mount Olive and Queens split their doubleheaders. The Trojans have a half-game lead over Queens in the East Division. Sunday's game time is 2 p.m.