MOUNT OLIVE (March 25) – The Trojan offense totaled seven extra-base hits, including three homers, in a doubleheader sweep over King in Conference Carolinas play on Monday afternoon, posting a 5-4 comeback win in Game 1 before recording a 9-1 run-rule victory in Game 2.
With the sweep, the University of Mount Olive softball team collects its third straight win and improves to 24-9 this season with a 5-3 record in league play. The Trojans record their first twinbill sweep over the Tornado since 2017 and snap a four-game skid in the series. Meanwhile, King drops to 17-15 overall with a 4-4 mark in conference action.
In Game 1, the Tornado climbed ahead by a 4-0 margin in the top of the first inning with a grand slam to left center. After the opening frame, both sides got into a pitching duel in the circle with just five total players left on base over the next four innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, senior
Emma Mooney and freshman
Laci Best delivered back-to-back singles with one out. The next at-bat, senior
Kylie Emanuele laced an RBI double to left field before fellow senior
Cana Shrock blasted a three-run homer to center field to tie the game at 4-4. Senior
Lark Collins stepped to the plate next and produced the go-head solo homer to left field, her fifth of the year, to complete the 5-4 comeback win.
Senior
Hannah Killough improved to 8-5 in the circle after yielding four earned runs on three hits while recording 11 strikeouts and two walks in 7.0 innings pitched (94 pitches).
In Game 2, King once again got on the board first after registering a two-out RBI single to right field, 1-0. The Trojans countered in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single through the right side by Emanuele with two outs to tie the game, 1-1. After two scoreless frames, Collins put UMO ahead with a three-run triple to right center to grab a 4-1 advantage in the bottom of the fourth. The Trojans went on to add three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the lead to 7-1. In the bottom half of the sixth, Emanuele closed out the game with a two-run homer to left field, her league-leading 15th of the season, to seal the 9-1 victory.
Emanuele finished 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBIs, and two runs scored, while Collins finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs against the Tornado.
Junior
Callie Thornton earned the win (11-1) after tossing her ninth complete game of the season. She surrendered one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 6.0 innings (99 pitches).
The Trojans return to Nancy Chapman Cassell Field tomorrow, Tuesday, March 25, to face Chowan in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
