Madison Johnston scattered seven singles for her first complete game shutout of the season as University of Mount Olive defeated Lees-McRae College 2-0 in game one of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Sunday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. Johnston struck out six and walked only one.
Mount Olive completed the sweep with an 8-2 win in game two as the Trojans scored in every inning. Tiffany Hawley homered and Lauren McGrath paced the Trojans' 13-hit attack with three hits. The Trojans have won six in a row.
In the opener, Tiffany Hawley's one-out rbi-single gave Johnston all the run support she needed. Mount Olive (15-11 overall, 6-2 Conference Carolinas) had a chance for a big inning, but Lees-McRae second baseman Teresa Dickson lunged for a line drive and flipped to first for an inning-ending double play. The Trojans added a run in the third on a two-out error on an infield fly.
Johnston (8-3) had a bend-but-not-break performance, allowing at least one baserunner in each of the first five innings before retiring the side in order in the top of the sixth. She overcame a leadoff single in the seventh. Lees-McRae stranded eight runners.
Lees-McRae pitcher Charlie Dutton (1-12) took the tough-luck loss. Dutton finished with a four-hitter, allowing only two hits after the first inning.
In the second game, Lees-McRae (3-29, 0-8) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Sarah Stallings led off the game with her first home run of the season. A pair of Trojan errors gave the Bobcats runners on second and third with one out. Mount Olive starter Lauren Smith got out of the jam with a pair of groundouts to second.
RBI-singles by Lindsey Russell and Hawley in the bottom of the first gave Mount Olive a 2-1 lead and the Trojans led the rest of the way. Beth Overman singled in a run in the second and Hawley led off the bottom of the third with her third home run of the season. Mount Olive added another run in the inning and McGrath singled in a run in the fourth to extend the Trojans' lead to 6-1. Mount Olive added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Caitlin Ewers (2-1) took over in the top of the fourth and limited the Bobcats to one run, an unearned run with two outs in the top of the seventh. Lees-McRae scored its two runs in its first at bat and last at bat of the game.
Lees-McRae had an opportunity for a comeback in the top of the fifth as singles by Alix Green and Megan Paradise helped the Bobcats load the bases with two outs. Trojan second baseman Kristin Power knocked down a ground ball to the right side and first baseman Overman picked up the loose ball to end the inning.
Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans travel to Elizabeth City, N.C., to take on Elizabeth City State in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 1 p.m.
