Softball Records Third Straight Conference Sweep - Trojans Take Two At Barton

Softball Records Third Straight Conference Sweep - Trojans Take Two At Barton

Lauren McGrath's grand slam home run highlighted a seven-run fourth inning as University of Mount Olive defeated Barton College 10-0 in five innings in game one of a Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Thursday at Wilson, N.C. Carly White tossed a pair of complete games as the Trojans earned their third consecutive conference doubleheader sweep with a 7-3 victory in the second game. The Trojans have won six in a row, all in conference play.

Mount Olive (20-24 overall, 8-6 Conference Carolinas) led 2-0 going into the top of the fourth in the opener when Kalie Smith led off with a single through the left side. Kassie Lowe drew a one-out walk and Katie Moore followed with a single up the middle to load the bases. McGrath, batting in the No. 9 spot, drove on 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence to clear the bases. The home run was McGrath's third of the season and first career grand slam.

The Trojans loaded the bases again as Kelsey Akers and Ashleigh Mason connected on back-to-back singles and Beth Overman drew a four-pitch walk. A pair of Barton errors cleared the bases as Akers came home on a throwing error by the catcher and both Mason and Overman scored when Tiffany Hawley's fly ball to left was dropped. Hawley was credited with a sacrifice fly as the Trojans built the lead to 9-0.

Akers, who led off the game with a single and scored the game's first run in a two-run first inning, completed her 3-for-3 game with an rbi-single in the fifth.

White (6-5) did not allow any extra-base hits while striking out two and walking none. The shutout was her second in her last three starts.

The Trojans picked up offensively where they left off to start the second game, scoring five runs in the top of the first. Mount Olive batted around as Overman doubled in the first run and Jennifer Jones' rbi-single capped the scoring.

Barton (17-20-1, 6-9-1) was unable to get a runner past second base off of White in game one, but Megan Kelly led off the bottom of the first with a triple and came home on a groundout to give the Bulldogs their first run of the day. Kelly added a two-run homer in the fifth and came within a double of hitting for the cycle. She went 4-for-4 in the second game, matching Barton's entire hit total in the first game.

White scattered nine hits, including seven singles. She did not walk a batter in 12 innings in the doubleheader.

Mount Olive concludes regular season conference play Tuesday as the Trojans travel to Banner Elk, N.C., to take on Lees-McRae. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for April 5, but pushed back due to the weather. Game time is noon.

The 2014 Conference Carolinas Softball Tournament follows April 25-27. Mount Olive is the defending champion.