MOUNT OLIVE (March 23) – The UMO offense combined for 15 runs on 25 hits on Sunday afternoon, as the University of Mount Olive softball program swept Young Harris in Conference Carolinas play with a 7-5 victory in Game 1 before posting an 8-2 win in Game 2 at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.
With the sweep, the Trojans extended their winning streak to five in a row and improved to 15-13 overall with a 5-3 mark in conference action. It marked the first meeting between the sides in program history, as Young Harris is in its second year as a member of the Conference Carolinas. Meanwhile, the Mountain Lions fell to 12-16 this season behind a 4-6 record in league play.
In Game 1, junior
Samantha Taylor led the offense going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs batted in, three runs scored, and two stolen bases. Freshman
Liz Thome also finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Sophomore
Laci Best recorded a multi-hit game with two runs batted in.
Taylor reached base in the bottom of the first with a single through the left side before stealing second base. With two outs, Best laced an RBI single up the middle to establish an early 1-0 advantage. The Trojans added four runs on three hits in the third inning, as Taylor and Thome registered RBI singles before Best delivered a sacrifice fly to right field. Freshman
Linda Hodge also provided offensive support with an RBI double to right-center to hold a 5-0 edge.
Young Harris managed to score a run in the fourth and fifth frame to cut the deficit to 5-2 before launching a three-run homer to left field to tie the contest at 5-5 in the top of the sixth. UMO responded in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI triple to center field by Taylor before she scored during the next at-bat on an error, 7-5.
Hodge earned the win (8-5) after yielding five runs (four earned) on four hits with two strikeouts and nine walks in 6.0 innings (125 pitches). Fellow freshman
Hailey King collected her second career save after tossing 1.0 inning of scoreless relief.
In Game 2, the Mountain Lions jumped in front with an RBI single up the middle in the top of the second before the Trojans answered with two runs in the bottom half. Freshman
Sophia Gleim recorded an RBI on a ground out before senior
Alyssa Smothers blasted a solo homer to left field to take a 2-1 advantage.
Mount Olive loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs before sophomore
McKenzie Millard hit an infield RBI single to stretch the lead to 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth, UMO extended the lead with five runs on four hits, highlighted by an RBI single through the left side by Millard before Taylor laced a two-run single to right field, 8-1. Young Harris scored a run in the top of the seventh, but UMO ultimately secured an 8-2 victory.
Millard finished a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs batted in and one stolen base, while Best went 3-for-4 with one run scored. Freshman
Leah Russell recorded two hits, one run scored, and one stolen base. Fellow freshman
Brittany Stephens tallied two hits and one run scored in Game 2.
King improved to 5-4 in the circle with her fourth complete game after surrendering two earned runs on nine hits with two strikeouts and one walk in 7.0 innings pitched (112 pitches).
Mount Olive continues its homestand on Wednesday, March 26, with a doubleheader against Barton, starting at 3 p.m.
