MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 17) – Behind a pair of complete-game performances in the circle on Saturday, the University of Mount Olive softball team earned a sweep in round-robin tournament play at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field with a 4-1 victory in Game 1 over USC Beaufort before claiming a 4-1 win against West Liberty in Game 2.
With the sweep, the Trojans extend their winning streak to four straight and improve to 10-2 overall behind an 8-2 mark at home. Mount Olive will close the weekend with the second day of round-robin action set to start at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 18.
Against USC Beaufort (8-2), the Sand Sharks established an early 1-0 advantage in the top of the first on an RBI single to right field with two outs. The Trojans answered back in the bottom of the second with a leadoff solo homer from senior
Kylie Emanuele, her fourth of the season, to tie the contest at 1-1. The next at-bat, junior
Alyssa Smothers laced a double to right-center field before fellow junior
Olivia Reardon launched a two-run homer to take a 3-1 lead. Following a scoreless third, Mount Olive tallied another run in the fourth frame after scoring on a fielding error to stretch the advantage to 4-1.
Senior
Hannah Killough tossed a complete-game performance to earn the win (4-1) after yielding one run on five hits with four strikeouts over 7.0 innings in the circle. She retired the side in order twice while forcing 10 flyouts and six groundouts in the victory.
Against West Liberty (0-2), sophomore
Bri Verme delivered her first career complete game for the Trojans and improved to 2-1. She surrendered one run on five hits while tallying five strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
In the bottom of the first inning, senior
Courtlynn Cooney drew a walk before advancing to third on a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, freshman
Laci Best belted an RBI double to right-center to take a 1-0 lead. Verme and the Trojans escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second frame while the sides went scoreless during the next three innings. In the bottom of the fifth, UMO totaled three runs on one hit while capitalizing on a pair of errors. Senior
Emma Mooney registered an RBI on a fielder's choice before Best produced an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field, 4-0. The Hilltoppers scored in the sixth inning after a rundown between first and second allowed the runner to score from third, 4-1.
Mount Olive closes the weekend with the second day of the round-robin tournament on Sunday, Feb. 18, as it faces West Liberty and USC Beaufort at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.
