Robbin Kennedy belted a school record three home runs in Mount Olive's opening game and Kalie Smith hit a game-tying home run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh in the second game, but the Trojans' season came to an Friday with a pair of extra inning losses at the 2012 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament at Hartsville, S.C. In a game that saw a combined 11 home runs, the Trojans rallied from a four-run deficit in the seventh before falling to No. 7 seed and tournament host Coker 11-10 in eight innings in the first round. Mount Olive came from behind three times against fifth-seeded Limestone, but fell 5-4 in 11 innings.
The East Division champion Trojans end their season with a record of 31-17 record.
Against Coker, Mount Olive trailed 10-6 going into the bottom of the seventh when Danielle Mitchell reached on an error to lead off the inning and Kennedy followed with her record third home run of the game to pull the Trojans within 10-8. Christie Wright reached on an error in shallow left field and beat the throw to second. After stealing third, Wright came home on Jennifer Jones' rbi-single. Pinch-runner Lauren McGrath stole third and Kalie Smith's rbi-single tied the game 10-10.
The long ball would be the difference in the outcome as Jaclin Poole's one-out solo shot was Coker's sixth home run of the game and put the Cobras ahead to stay. Beth Overman led the bottom of the eighth with a double, but Mount Olive couldn't get the run in.
The Trojans trailed early, but Kennedy led off the bottom of the fourth with her first home run of the contest to tie the game 2-2 and Kayla Voorhees' sacrifice fly later in the inning gave Mount Olive its first lead of the game. After Coker regained the lead in the top of the fifth, Kennedy belted another solo home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game again at 4-4.
The home run derby escalated in the sixth inning as both teams used the long ball. Coker used back-to-back home runs in the top of the sixth to build a three-run lead as Bryant McClendon hit a two-run homer and Gina Easler followed with a solo home run. Jones led off the bottom of the sixth with a home run for Mount Olive and Smith hit a two-out pinch-hit home run to pull the Trojans within 7-6.
Coker appeared to put the game away with a three-run seventh inning, sparked by back-to-back solo home runs by Poole and Stacy Burr. But the Trojans' improbable comeback would force extra innings.
Against Limestone, Mount Olive fell behind 2-0 after Kirstyn Burleson hit a two-run homer in the top of the first. Mount Olive tied the game in the bottom of the second on consecutive two-out rbi-singles by Kassie Lowe and Voorhees. The game looked to be another slugfest as Limestone regained the lead 3-2 on Dallas Heaton's rbi-single, but both starting pitchers would take over.
Wright, who had not given up an earned run in her last three regular season starts for Mount Olive, retired the side in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. She gave up a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, but was aided by a line drive double play.
Limestone starter Leah Quant pitched four straight 1-2-3 innings and had retired 15 consecutive batters when Smith came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. After working the count full, Smith drilled a pitch high over the left-center field fence to tie the game 3-3 and force extra innings. Friday's two home runs gave Smith five on the season.
The Saints went back on top on Heaton's two-out rbi-double in the top of the eighth. Sarah Saunders took over for Wright and ended the inning on a groundout with two runners left on base.
Voorhees led off the bottom of the eighth with an opposite-field triple to right and Mount Olive tied the game 4-4 on Overman's rbi-double. After a sacrifice advanced Overman to third, Kennedy and Wright were both intentionally walked to load the bases. The strategy paid off as Limestone got a force out at home for the second out and Quant got out of the jam on a flyout to deep left.
Saunders retired the side in order in the top of the ninth, marking the first time in the game Mount Olive came up to bat without trailing. The Trojans put runners on first and second with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth after Smith was hit by a pitch and Anna Munizza's pinch-hit looper landed on the left field chalk. But Shelby Webb took over for Quant and retired the next three batters.
Both teams were scoreless in the 10th and Saunders retired the first two batters in the 11. Taylor Wigmore kept the inning alive with a single and scored what proved to be the winning run on Kaileigh West's double to right-center. Webb retired the Trojan in order in the bottom of the 11th.
The 11-inning contest tied the school record for the longest game in Trojan softball history. Mount Olive won an 11-inning game against Belmont Abbey in March.
All of Mount Olive's last four conference tournament losses have been by one run.
