LAURINBURG, N.C. - Mount Olive softball split their nonconference doubleheader against the Knights of Saint Andrew's University on Thursday afternoon in Laurinburg, N.C. The Trojans dropped the first game 8-7 after just running out of innings to catch the Knights. UMO returned the favor in game two with a 7-3 victory to even the day 1-1.

GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: Saint Andrews 8, Mount Olive 7
Records: Mount Olive (3-6), Saint Andrews (4-7)
Location: Laurinburg, N.C.

How It Happened
Play-by-Play

GAME RUNDOWN

• The Trojans found themselves behind after the end of the first as the Knights put up two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
• Mount Olive responded with two runs of their own to knot the score in the top of the second inning as Eileen Barrera and Hannah Burress both crossed the plate for UMO.
• SAU lit up pitcher Haley Brogden in the bottom of the second scoring six runs on the pitcher to take an 8-2 lead heading into the third.
• UMO cut the SAU led to three runs, 8-5, following a three-run top of the third that saw Charlene Thompson, Mikayla Koch, and Madison Morgan all score runs.
• The Trojan defense held the Knights scoreless in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, while the offense was only able to add two more runs, one each in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, to finish the game trailing 8-7. Thompson crossed the plate a second time in the top of the fourth and Megan Bryant scored in the top fifth for the Trojans last two runs.

GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 7, Saint Andrews 3
Records: Mount Olive (4-6), Saint Andrews (4-8)
Location: Laurinburg, N.C.

How It Happened
Play-by-Play

GAME RUNDOWN

• UMO opened game two with a pair of runs in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Thompson scored the first run after Morgan hit a single to left field. Alyssa Pickle scored the second run after she was sent home on a bases-loaded walk with Amari Borrego at the plate.
• The Trojans held the Knights scoreless through their first two innings at bat while adding two more runs in the top of the fourth to go up four-nil. Borrego and Heather Childress crossed the plate for UMO in the fourth after Thompson laid down one of her signature bunts to score the two runs.
• SAU escaped a shutout after putting a deuce on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to 4-2.
• Mount Olive added three more runs, one in the top fifth and two in the top of the sixth, gaining a five-run cushion over the Knights. Barrera scored on a Bryant single to second for the solo run in the fifth, while Thompson stole her way to third before being batted home on a Cassandra Lassiter sac-fly and Pickle hit a solo homer to center field for the pair of runs in the top of the sixth.
• Saint Andrew's put up a solo run in the bottom of the sixth that cut the Mount Olive lead to four runs but could not overcome the Trojan lead as UMO won game two 7-3.

NEXT

Mount Olive returns home this weekend for a pair of nonconference doubleheaders at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. The Trojans host the Golden Eagles of the University of Charleston (W.Va.) on Saturday at 2 & 4 p.m., and follow on Sunday with a matinee against the Panthers of Virginia Union at 1 & 3 p.m.