WILSON, N.C. (March 19) – The freshmen duo of
Linda Hodge and
Hailey King combined for 11 strikeouts in a pair of complete-game performances, as the Trojans swept the doubleheader over Barton with a 7-1 win in Game 1 and 7-2 victory in Game 2 in Conference Carolinas action.
With the sweep, the University of Mount Olive softball program improves to 13-13 this season behind a 3-3 record in league play. The Trojans captured their first sweep at Barton since 2021 and boast a 21-9 record in the series dating back to 2012. Meanwhile, Barton drops to 14-14 overall with a 2-6 mark in conference action.
In Game 1, Hodge tossed her seventh complete game of the year and improved to 7-5 in the circle. She yielded one earned run on three hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over 7.0 innings pitched (114 pitches).
In the top of the first, freshman
Leah Russell led off the contest with a single down the left-field line before advancing to second on a stolen base. Following a walk to place two runners on base, junior
Samantha Taylor laced an RBI single to left-center to grab a 1-0 advantage. Sophomore
Laci Best would deliver an RBI single to right field with one out to extend the lead, 2-0.
Mount Olive stretched their advantage to 5-0 in the top of the second after Best belted a three-run double to left-center to clear the bases. The Bulldogs managed to cut into the deficit in the bottom of the third with an RBI double to left field to trail by a 5-1 margin. In the top of the sixth, sophomore
McKenzie Millard earned a walk before UMO placed a pair of runners into scoring position after a throwing error. Best capitalized on the mistake with a two-run single to left field to climb ahead 7-1.
Best finished 3-for-4 at the plate with six runs batted in while Millard went 1-for-1 with two runs scored and three walks.
In Game 2, King registered her third complete game of the season and earned the win to move to 4-4 in the circle. She surrendered two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts and two walks in 7.0 innings pitched (80 pitches).
The Trojans jumped in front at the top of the first with freshman
Liz Thome ripping an RBI single to right-center, 1-0. Barton countered in the bottom half of the frame to tie the contest at 1-1 before the sides went scoreless over the next two innings.
UMO reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth following a sacrifice fly to right field by freshman
Sophia Gleim, but once again the Bulldogs responded to knot the contest at 2-2. Mount Olive opened up a lead in the top of the fifth as Millard hit an RBI triple down the left-field line before eventually stealing home, 4-2. Thome extended the advantage to 5-2 with a two-out RBI single to left field to cap a three-run frame. In the top of the seventh, Taylor and Thome produced RBI singles to record a pair of insurance runs and claim the 7-2 win.
Thome went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBIs while Millard totaled two hits, two runs scored, one RBI, and a stolen base.
The Trojans return to Nancy Chapman Cassell Field on Sunday, March 23, for a doubleheader versus Young Harris at 1 p.m.
