Kelsey Akers tied a school record with three doubles and Madison Johnston tossed a two-hit shutout as University of Mount Olive defeated Chowan 12-0 in game one of a non-conference softball doubleheader Wednesday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. The Trojans scored six runs on six consecutive two-out hits in the second inning.
The Trojans completed the sweep with a come-from-behind 10-6 win in the second game. Tiffany Hawley drove in four runs with a pair of doubles and Ashleigh Mason drove in three runs with a pair of triples.
In the opener, Akers hit a leadoff double to left and scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first, then followed Hannah Woodard's rbi-double with an rbi-double to the center field fence in the second inning. Akers scored after singles by Ashleigh Mason and Beth Overman, who both came home on Katie Moore's two-run double down the left field line. Tiffany Hawley's rbi-single capped the inning and gave the Trojans a 7-0 lead. All six second-inning runs were unearned.
Mount Olive (12-20) added another run in the third inning after Akers doubled to right-center to drive in Woodard. Kalie Smith's two-run single highlighted a four-run fourth inning and helped give Akers a chance for the record breaker. Akers settled for a single to left-center to complete a 4-for-4 game.
Wednesday's performance marked the second time Akers hit three doubles in a game. She also hit three doubles in the semifinal round of last year's Conference Carolinas Tournament. Lauren McGrath hit three doubles in a game during the regular season last year and Aubrey Reinhard had a three-double performance in 2011.
Johnston (6-7) allowed two-out singles in the first and third innings for Chowan's only baserunners and retired the final seven batters she faced. Her three strikeouts came in succession in the sixth and seventh innings.
Chowan (10-22) built a 3-0 lead in game two as Kayla Brady and Brooke Bowden led off a two-run second inning with back-to-back doubles. The Hawks added an unearned run in the third on Tara Cragan's rbi-single.
Smith's squeeze bunt in the fourth inning put Mount Olive on the scoreboard and Mason's opposite-field triple down the left field line ignited a four-run fourth inning. After consecutive hit batsmen loaded the bases, Hawley cleared the bases with a double to the left-center field fence to give the Trojans their first lead of the game at 5-3.
Consecutive pinch-hit bases loaded singles in the top of the sixth by Jackie Byrd and Tina White tied the game and Courtney Diamond scored on a wild pitch to put Chowan back on top 6-5.
The Hawks' lead was short-lived as Akers singled home the tying run in the bottom of the sixth and Mason's two-run triple down the right field line gave Mount Olive an 8-6 lead and put the Trojans ahead to stay. Mason scored on Overman's groundout and after Moore drew a walk, Hawley drove her home with a double down the left field line.
Statistical records were not immediately available, but Mason is believed to have either tied or set a school record for most triples in a game.
Carly White (3-4), the third Trojan pitcher came on in the sixth inning and retired the side in order in the seventh.
Mount Olive returns to action this weekend as the Trojans take to the road for a pair of doubleheaders. Mount Olive travels to Gaffney, S.C., Saturday to take on Limestone in a Conference Carolinas doubleheader. The Trojans conclude their road trip Sunday in Charlotte, N.C., to face former conference member Queens.