Lauren Smith tossed a three-hit shutout and Kassie Lowe's leadoff home run in fifth was the difference as Mount Olive defeated Queens 1-0 in game two of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Saturday at Charlotte, N.C. The shutout was Smith's third in a row in a span of seven days and added to her school record of nine on the season.

The Trojans fell 5-0 in the opener as Chantel Dodge tossed a three-hitter for Queens. Dodge went the distance in both games.

Smith (15-6) gave up singles in each of the first two innings in game two, then held the Royals hitless until a sixth-inning single. Smith did not allow more than one baserunner in any inning and Queens never got more than one runner on base in any one inning. She retired 13 of the final 14 batters she faced and finished with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Mount Olive (25-15, 13-5) put a runner on base in each of the first four innings, but was held scoreless until Lowe led off the top of the fifth. Lowe drove a pitch over the left field fence for her second home run of the season, both coming this week. Lowe and Beth Overman had two hits apiece for the Trojans.

In the opener, Queens (20-22, 10-5) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on Amanda Meade's rbi-double in the second inning and Noemi Rodriguez's two-run homer in the third. That was ample run support for Dodge (16-9), who finished with nine strikeouts.

Trojan starter Sarah Saunders (4-1) pitched a six-hitter, but suffered her first loss of the season. Queens added a pair of unearned runs in the sixth.

The doubleheader was originally scheduled for March 25 and rescheduled for Friday, but was moved back a day due to rain.

Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans travel to Fayetteville, N.C., to take on Fayetteville State in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 3 p.m.