SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Mount Olive softball team split the doubleheader against the Valkyries of Converse College to wrap up the opening weekend of Conference Carolinas action for the Trojans on Sunday afternoon at Tyger River Park in Spartanburg, S.C.

GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: Converse 3 - Mount Olive 2
Records: Mount Olive (16-9 | 2-1), Converse (6-23 | 1-4)
Location: Tyger River Park | Spartanburg, S.C. 

How It Happened
Play-by-Play

GAME RUNDOWN

• Converse found life in their bats early as the home valkyries put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a double to right field for the two RBI's.
• UMO knotted the score at two runs each in the top of the fourth inning as Cassandra Lassiter and Hannah Burress crossed home plate for the only two runs of game one.
• Lassiter reached base on a single down the right line and advanced to second on a groundout by Eileen Barrera. A double by Burress scored Lassiter and two batters later Burress scored off of a single through the left side from Alexis Oliver.
• The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh inning when Converse found the game-winning run following an error by the UMO pitcher that allowed a Converse runner to cross home plate and win the game 3-2.

KEY STATS

• Burress and Oliver each garnered an RBI in the game, while Lassiter and Burress each scored a run.
• Haley Brogden (L: 7-5) pitched the full game giving up three runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: Mount Olive 9 - Converse 2
Records: Mount Olive (17-9 | 3-1), Converse (6-24 | 1-5)
Location: Tyger River Park | Spartanburg, S.C. 

How It Happened
Play-by-Play

GAME RUNDOWN

• Converse again found the opening score of the game as the Valkyries put up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning.
• UMO took a three-run lead in the top of the fourth after putting four runs on the scoreboard putting the score at 4-1. Cassandra Lassiter got on base with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a passed ball. She scored on the next at-bat as Callie Ferrell doubled down the left field line.
• Breanna Voelker and Eileen Barrera scored on a single to center field by Mallory Ratcliff after each runner reached base on either an error or a hit-by-pitch.
• The final run of the inning came from Hannah Burress who crossed home plate after an error by the catcher opened up an opportunity for a run towards home.
• Mount Olive extended their lead with three runs in the top of the fifth that put the score at 7-2 Trojans. Heather Childress crossed the plat following a fielding error on a Ferrell at-bat.
• The final two runs of the inning were scored by Callie Ferrell and Alexis Oliver who crossed home on a single up the middle by Eileen Barrera.
• Two final runs, one each in the top of the sixth and seventh, put the final score at 9-2 for a UMO win as the teams split the doubleheader.
• Childress scored in the sixth on an error by the left fielder and she scored Burress in the top of the seventh on a double to left field after Burress reached on a double of her own.

KEY STATS

• Childress, Ferrell, and Burress all hit doubles in the game. 
• Childress, Ferrell, Barrera, and Ratcliff all garnered RBI's.
• Ratcliff pitched a full game giving up two runs on four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts.

NEXT

Mount Olive continues their road trip as they travel to Hartsville, S.C. to face the Cobras of Coker College on Thursday, March 21. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. of the doubleheader.