MAXTON, N.C. (April 9) – In Conference Carolinas play on Wednesday afternoon, the Trojans dropped a pair of games on the road against UNC Pembroke, falling 4-3 in Game 1 before suffering a run-rule loss in Game 2 via a 14-6 margin.
With the losses, the University of Mount Olive softball program falls to 23-19 this season behind a 13-9 mark in league action. The Trojans close out league play on Saturday, April 12, with a doubleheader at nationally-ranked Francis Marion. Meanwhile, UNC Pembroke stretches its winning streak to six in a row to improve to 24-21 overall with a 15-5 mark in conference play.
In Game 1, Mount Olive took an early 2-0 advantage in the top of the second as senior
Alyssa Smothers laced a two-run double to left field with two outs. In the bottom of the third, the Braves trimmed the deficit on a sacrifice fly before tying the contest in the fourth, 2-2.
UNCP grabbed the lead in the fifth after scoring two runs on three hits to take a 4-2 edge. The Trojans attempted to rally in the top of the seventh after placing a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. The next at-bat, Smothers hit an RBI single to right field to close the gap to 4-3. The Braves managed to record the final two outs to escape with a 4-2 victory in the first contest.
Smother finished 2-for-4 with three runs batted in while freshman
Sophia Gleim went 1-for-2 with one run scored and one walk.
Freshman
Linda Hodge (12-8) suffered the loss after yielding four runs (three earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 5.0 innings pitched (83 pitches). Junior
Cayden Sutton tossed 1.0 inning of relief with a strikeout.
In Game 2, the Trojan climbed in front in the top of the first after scoring on a throwing error, 1-0. UNCP answered in the bottom half of the first after scoring three runs on three hits, including a pair of RBI singles, 3-1. Mount Olive responded in the top of the second with a three-run homer to center field by junior
Samantha Taylor, her fourth of the season, to take a 4-3 lead.
The Braves countered in the bottom of the second with two runs before quickly extending the lead to 11-4 in the third with six runs on three hits. UMO managed to cut the deficit in the top of the fourth with a two-out, two-run double by sophomore
Laci Best to trail 11-6. UNC Pembroke would score three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to lead 14-6 before recording three outs in the fifth to secure the 14-6 run-rule win.
Freshman
Liz Thome finished 2-for-2 while Taylor went 1-for-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored.
Freshman
Hailey King was saddled with the loss (8-7) after allowing seven runs (six earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 2.1 innings of work (68 pitches).
Mount Olive will travel to Francis Marion on Saturday, April 12, for the final doubleheader of Conference Carolinas play with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
