MOUNT OLIVE, NC – The University of Mount Olive softball team earned a split in Sunday's Conference Carolinas doubleheader against Chowan, dominating game one in a 7-0 shutout before falling 5-2 in the closing game.
Mount Olive seized control in the opener with
Alex Steen delivering a dominant performance in the circle and an explosive first inning at the plate. She escaped an early jam in the top of the first before the Trojans erupted for three runs in the bottom half.
Samantha Taylor ignited the rally by singling and stealing a base, while
Emma King, Elizabeth Thome, and
Kaylee Cox each contributed RBI hits, giving Mount Olive a 3-0 advantage.
The Trojans strengthened their lead in the second as King delivered another RBI single for a 4-0 margin. Mount Olive added a run in the fourth, with King earning a bases-loaded walk, before they broke the game open in the sixth. King, who is on pace to have the best batting average in Trojan history and is currently ranked 3rd for most hits, hammered an inside-the-park home run, and Thome lifted a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring at 7-0.
Steen dominated in the circle, tossing her 17th complete-game and 3rd shut out while limiting Chowan to just two hits and striking out five, bringing her up to an astounding 150 on the season, ranking 4th in UMO's history for most strikeouts in a season. She issued several walks but consistently escaped trouble and kept Chowan off the scoreboard.
Chowan reversed the momentum in game two, scoring in the first inning when Kyra Helton ripped an RBI single. The Hawks added a run in the third for a 2-0 lead before Mount Olive responded in the bottom half.
Hadley Womack doubled and scored on a throwing error, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
The Trojans tied the game in the fourth as
Emma King reached base and Elizabeth Thome drove home a run with her 27th RBI of the season. However, Chowan regained control in the fifth, using aggressive base running and situational hitting to plate two runs for a 4-2 lead.
Mount Olive created a prime opportunity to answer in the bottom of the fifth after
Kynley Brewer delivered a pinch-hit triple, but the Trojans failed to capitalize. Chowan added an insurance run in the seventh as Helton notched her third RBI of the game, extending the lead to 5-2.
Brianna Verme started game two and surrendered two runs over four innings, while
Alex Steen took the loss in relief.
With the split, Mount Olive ends the regular season with a 27-23 overall record and a 16-12 mark in Conference Carolinas play. The Trojans clinch the No. 7 seed in the Conference Carolina's Tournament and will face No. 10 Barton at 11:00 a.m. on April 23 in Duncan, South Carolina. A win sends Mount Olive to take on No. 2 Young Harris at 4:00 p.m. later that day.
