FLORENCE, SC – The University of Mount Olive softball team battled one of the nation's top programs on Saturday, splitting a doubleheader with No. 6 Francis Marion University. The Trojans dropped the opener before responding with a strong offensive performance to secure a 9-8 victory in game two.
Game One: No. 6 Francis Marion 9, Mount Olive 1
Mount Olive jumped on the scoreboard in the opening inning.
Samantha Taylor sparked the offense with a leadoff single, hustling to third before
Emma King reached on a fielding error that allowed Taylor to score and give the Trojans a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans' pitching staff kept the nationally ranked Patriots scoreless through two innings, but Francis Marion tied it in the third by capitalizing on two-out walks and a wild pitch to score a run.
The Patriots took the lead in the fourth with a run on a fielder's choice before breaking the game open in the fifth. Francis Marion combined four hits with three walks and a hit batter during a seven-run inning to extend the lead to 9-1 and create separation.
Taylor,
McKenzie Millard, and King each recorded hits for Mount Olive in the opener, while
Emma Myatt took the loss in the circle after working 3.1 innings.
Game Two: Mount Olive 9, No. 6 Francis Marion 8
The Trojans responded in game two with a resilient performance to earn the split against the sixth-ranked Patriots.
Francis Marion jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Mount Olive answered in the second when Elizabeth Thome launched a solo home run to left-center to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Mount Olive surged ahead in the third inning with a four-run frame.
Emma King delivered a two-run double to tie the game before Thome added an RBI sacrifice bunt and
Madelyn Sutton drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Trojans a 5-3 advantage.
The Trojans extended the lead in the fourth after Millard reached base on an error to start the inning, followed by a single by King to put runners at first and second. Verme followed by reaching on a fielder's choice, bringing Millard home for a run. Next, Thome delivered an RBI single that scored King. Finally, Saw capped the inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 8-3.
Mount Olive added an insurance run in the fifth when
Samantha Taylor reached on a fielder's choice that brought home
Kynley Brewer.
Francis Marion mounted a late comeback attempt, scoring twice in the fourth and adding three more runs in the sixth to trim the deficit to 9-8, but the Trojans held on down the stretch.
Alex Steen (6-4) earned the win in the circle after tossing a complete game. The right-hander struck out 10 batters across seven innings while working through multiple late threats to preserve the victory.
The Trojans return tomorrow in a doubleheader against UNC Pembroke in Pembroke, with matches starting at 1:00 and 3:00 PM.
