BANNER ELK, N.C. --- The Mount Olive College
softball team scored 13 runs on 19 hits en route to a doubleheader
sweep of Lees-McRae College on Saturday afternoon in Conference
Carolinas play, answering a late rally in game one and holding off
a seventh-inning surge by the Bobcats in the nightcap.
Mount Olive (31-15, 17-5 CC) won game one by a tally of 10-5,
while edging Lees-McRae (13-34, 4-16 CC), 3-2, in the nightcap. The
Trojans held the Bobcats to seven hits on the day, including three
base knocks in game two.
Lori Fulmer (Prosperity, S.C.) paced the Bobcats with three hits
on the day, driving in a run and scoring another, as Amanda Leonard
(Lincolnton, N.C.), Jessica Smith (Gastonia, N.C.), Alison
Armstrong (Bellingham, Mass.), and Karli Robb (Hayes, Va.) each
tallied a base knock.
Laurel Gregg (Mars Hill, N.C.) took the ball in game one,
surrendering five earned runs on seven hits through four innings.
Holli Crickenberger (Boydton, Va.) threw the final three frames in
the opener, allowing three unearned runs and striking out four.
Kristin Oakes (Lenoir, N.C.) got the nod in game two, surrendering
three runs (two earned) and striking out six.
Katie Devenuto, Elizabeth Overman, and Katie Moore each tallied
three hits on the day for the Trojans, as Moore, Kayla Voorhees,
and Robbin Kennedy drove in two runs each. Sarah Saunders got the
start in game one, allowing one earned run on three hits in four
innings of work. Lauren Smith tossed the final three innings,
surrendering one hit and striking out four to earn the save.
Christie Wright pitched the full seven innings in game two,
allowing two unearned runs on three hits to earn the victory.
Game One: Mount Olive 10, Lees-McRae 5 (Box Score)
The Trojans got on the board early in game one, plating four
runs on three hits in the first inning to take a 4-0 advantage.
After Mount Olive added a run in the third to push the margin to
5-0, the Bobcats answered with a run in the bottom of the inning
when Kierstie Moon (Oxford, Ga.) stole third and scored on an error
to cut the lead to 5-1.
Lees-McRae evened the tally at 5-5 with four runs in the fourth,
taking advantage of three Trojan miscues to tie the game on an RBI
single, an error, and two passed balls. The Trojans answered
quickly in the fifth, plating two runs to reclaim the lead at 7-5
before stretching the advantage to 10-5 with three tallies in the
sixth, capping the scoring on a two-run double by Voorhees.
Game Two: Mount Olive 3, Lees-McRae 2 (Box Score)
Mount Olive struck first once again in game two, plating two
runs in the first to take an early 2-0 lead on three hits and two
Bobcat miscues. The Trojans would add a run in the fifth before the
Bobcats launched a furious rally in the seventh, cutting the lead
to 3-2 thanks to strong base-running and two Trojan miscues before
Mount Olive shut the door, retiring the final batter of the inning
with the tying run on second.
Lees-McRae returns to the diamond on Wednesday when the Bobcats
host St. Andrews University in conference play to wrap up the
regular season. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. on the Bobcat
Softball Field.
- LMC -
