Mount Olive junior Carly White tossed a five-hitter and the Trojans batted around twice in the final three innings to pull away from Barton 8-2 in game one of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Thursday night at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. In the nightcap, the Trojans rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh before falling short 5-4.
In the opener, White (11-3) retired the first 11 Bulldogs she faced as her teammates built an early lead. In the bottom of the second, centerfielder Savannah Becker got things rolling by slamming her first homer of the season over the left field wall against Barton starter Liz White (3-9). Kalie Smith followed with a single, then came around to score on a two-out single by Erin Brogan.
Brogan was a thorn in Barton's side all evening. She singled twice, drove in a pair, walked and scored a run. She chased home teammate Smith to start a three-run rally in the fourth. Smith led off with a double, then went to third on a single by Tiffany Hawley.
Brogan's RBI-hit brought home the first run in the frame. Three consecutive walks to Danielle Mitchell, Beth Overman and Katie Moore added two more for a 5-0 cushion.
Barton's biggest threat came in the top of the fifth when Emily Leagon and Alex Baylis singled and advanced a base on the first of three Trojan errors in the inning. Sam Bass reached on another error to bring in the Bulldogs' first run. A third error and a grounder loaded the bases with two outs before Carly White coaxed a flyout from Liz Webb to end the threat.
Leagon's RBI-double in the sixth brought home Rebekah Morgan to cut the lead to 3-2, but Barton got no closer.
In the sixth, the Trojans blew the game open thanks to singles by Mitchell, Overman and Jennifer Jones, along with two walks and a hit-batsman.
Seven different Trojans had at least one hit in the contest. Carly White finished with no walks and six strikeouts.
In the nightcap, the Trojans saved all its offense until the final three innings. Autumn Pittman (3-10) held Mount Olive hitless over the first three innings, and the Bulldogs took advantage of five Mount Olive errors to hand the Trojans a painful loss.
Barton (8-24 Overall, 5-15 Conference Carolinas) scored two runs in the third, another in the fifth and two in the sixth – all unearned – to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
In the seventh, the Trojans (26-10, 12-4) made things interesting as pinch-hitters Brogan and Kelsey Akers opened the frame with singles. After a fielder's choice, Overman singled home a run and Katie Moore followed with another RBI-hit to put the tying run on base.
Pittman who exited the game after five strong innings on the mound returned and gave up a sacrifice fly to Jennifer Jones to cut the lead to 5-4, but Pittman got a strikeout to end the game and give Barton the split.
Trojan pitcher Madison Johnston (4-2) pitched well, allowing six hits and no earned runs in seven innings. She did not walk a batter while striking out three.
Barton got an RBI-single from Liz White in the second, as well as a sacrifice fly by Pittman in the sixth. The other five runs scored on errors.
The Trojans got on the board in the fifth when Jesse Crist slugged a homer to centerfield.
Mount Olive has nine days to prepare for its final four games before the start of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. The Trojans travel to Charlotte, N.C. to meet Queens in a doubleheader April 13. The next day, Mount Olive travels to Pfeiffer to end the regular season.
