MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 3) – Behind a pair of complete-game performances in the circle on Saturday, the University of Mount Olive softball program delivered a sweep in round-robin tournament play at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field with an 11-3 run-rule win in Game 1 over Virginia Union before a 5-2 victory against UVA Wise.
With the sweep, the Trojans improve to 4-0 overall after playing all four non-conference games over the last three days. Mount Olive will close the opening weekend of the 2024 campaign with the second day of round-robin action set to start at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 4.
Against Virginia Union (0-2), UMO fell into an early deficit in the top of the first inning after the Panthers scored on an infield RBI single, 1-0. In the bottom half of the frame, the Trojans answered back with six runs on six hits while capitalizing on a pair of errors. The first inning was highlighted by a trio of RBI singles from senior
Cana Shrock, junior
Olivia Reardon, and senior
Emma Mooney. With Mount Olive leading by a 6-1 margin, the Trojans added four more runs on five hits. Freshman
Laci Best registered a two-run double down the left-field line before senior
Kylie Emanuele belted a two-run homer, her second of the year, to increase the lead to 10-1 after two frames.
Virginia Union countered with a two-run single in the top of the fourth before junior
Alyssa Smothers sealed the run-rule victory with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
Senior
Courtlynn Cooney finished 3-for-4 with one run scored, while Best went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Shrock, Emanuele, and Smothers all recorded two hits in the win, as the team finished with a season-high 14.
Sophomore
Bri Verme (1-0) made her debut in the circle and yielded three runs on three hits while recording four strikeouts in 5.0 innings (76 pitches). She retired the side in order three times while facing 21 batters in the contest.
Against UVA Wise (1-1), junior pitcher
Callie Thornton produced another stellar performance to improve to 2-0 on the season. She surrendered two runs (one earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks over 7.0 innings (122 pitches) in the circle.
Mount Olive established an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first while scoring all three runs with two outs. The Trojans utilized heads-up base running to score on a fielder's choice, a fielding error, and a double steal. Following a scoreless second inning, the Trojans added to the lead with a solo homer from Shrock before senior
Carly Curcio registered an RBI on a sacrifice fly to center field, 5-0. The Cavaliers cut into the deficit with one run in the fifth and seventh innings, but the Trojans closed out the contest with a 5-2 victory.
Shrock finished 3-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored while Mooney produced a pair of hits in Game 2.
Mount Olive closes the opening weekend with the second day of the round-robin tournament on Sunday, Feb. 4 as it faces UVA Wise and Virginia Union at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.
