MOUNT OLIVE (March 26) – Senior
Kylie Emanuele finished 6-for-6 with one homer, seven RBIs, and six runs scored on Tuesday, as the University of Mount Olive softball team swept a Conference Carolinas twinbill against Chowan, recording a 10-9 win in Game 1 before posting an 11-3 run-rule victory in Game 2.
With the sweep, the Trojans improve to 26-9 overall behind a 7-3 mark in conference action. Mount Olive has won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series against Chowan. Meanwhile, the Hawks fall to 5-18 this season with a 1-7 record in league play.
In Game 1, Mount Olive jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Emanuele registered an RBI single through the left side before senior
Lark Collins produced a two-run single to left field. With two outs, fellow senior
Carly Curcio belted a two-run homer to center field, her seventh of the season. The Trojans added to the lead in the second frame with a solo homer by junior
Olivia Reardon and a sacrifice fly from Emanuele, 7-0.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Hawks rallied back with eight runs on six hits, including a grand slam, to take an 8-7 edge. Chowan extended the lead in the sixth with an RBI single up the middle, but Mount Olive answered back with three runs on four hits to reclaim a 10-9 advantage. Senior
Cana Shrock recorded a sacrifice fly to center field before Collins hit an RBI double. With two outs, junior
Alyssa Smothers laced the go-ahead RBI single to center field.
Senior
Courtlynn Cooney finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base, while four Trojans registered two hits in the Game 1 win.
Senior
Hannah Killough took a no-decision while sophomore
Bri Verme earned the win (6-3) after surrendering one earned run on five hits in 1.1 innings of relief. Junior Callie Thronton secured the save (2) after closing out the ninth inning.
In Game 2, the Hawks grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning before UMO countered with three runs on four hits, highlighted by a two-run double down the left-field line by Shrock, 3-1. Chowan cut into the deficit in the top of the third with a solo homer to left-center to trail 3-2. In the bottom half of the third, Mount Olive brought across three more runs with Emanuele delivering a two-run double down the left-field line, 6-2.
Freshman
Laci Best helped add to the UMO lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single before Emanuele belted a two-run homer to left center, 9-2. After a scoreless fifth inning, Emanuele registered an RBI double to left field before Collins sealed the run-rule win with an RBI single to left field, 11-3.
Emanuele went 4-for-4 with five RBIs and four runs scored, while Shrock also finished 4-for-4 with two RBIs.
Thornton secured the win (12-1) after yielding three earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 6.0 innings pitched (79 pitches).
Mount Olive is idle for over a week before returning to Conference Carolinas play on Friday, April 5 for a doubleheader at Southern Wesleyan at 2 p.m.
