MOUNT OLIVE (Feb. 6) – Despite taking the early lead in both games on homers, the University of Mount Olive softball team was swept in a doubleheader versus No. 17 ranked Wingate in a Southeast Region matchup at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field on Tuesday afternoon.
With the losses, the Trojans drop to 6-2 overall after playing eight games over the last six days. Wingate has won nine of the previous 10 meetings between the sides with UMO collecting its last win back in 2022. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 4-3 after reaching the NCAA Super Regionals last season behind a 48-win campaign.
In Game 1, the Trojans loaded the bases behind a pair of walks and a single to center field by
Cana Shrock. With two outs, fellow senior
Lark Collins belted a grand slam to left field, her third homer of the year, to take an early 4-0 edge. After a scoreless second inning, Wingate rallied with five runs on four hits, highlighted by back-to-back home runs with two outs, 5-4.
The Bulldogs added to the lead in the fourth with a solo homer to left-center before the Trojans stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the frame. Wingate tallied two additional insurance runs in the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead while the Trojans left four players on base over the final two innings.
Collins finished 2-for-4 with four RBI, one walk, and one run scored, while Shrock went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
Senior
Hannah Killough surrendered eight runs on 11 hits with two strikeouts over 6.0 innings (128 pitches) in the circle. Sophomore
Bri Verme tossed 1.0 inning of scoreless relief to close out the contest.
In Game 2, Mount Olive leaped ahead in the first inning behind a two-run homer to left-center by Shrock, her third of the season, to take a 2-0 advantage. The Bulldogs countered in the top of the third with a grand slam to left field with two outs to claim a 4-2 lead. Wingate tallied more runs in the top of the fourth with a three-run double to left field, 7-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Trojans trimmed the deficit with a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle by freshman
Laci Best, 7-3. Following a scoreless fifth frame, UMO closed the gap to 7-4 on an infield RBI single with the bases loaded. The Bulldogs managed the stranded three runners on base for UMO after forcing a fly-out to center field. In the seventh, Wingate totaled four runs on six hits to seal an 11-4 victory.
Junior
Callie Thornton tossed her third complete game of the season after yielding all 11 runs on 14 hits with a pair of strikeouts in 7.0 innings (130 pitches) of work.
Mount Olive returns to the field on Saturday, Feb. 10, for its first road trip of the season to face Winston-Salem State in non-conference play, starting at 1 p.m.
