Lindsey Russell went 4-for-7 with four RBI to lead the University of Mount Olive to a 7-5, 5-3 split of a doubleheader against Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C. Friday night in Conference Carolinas softball.
Game One Mount Olive 7 Southern Wesleyan 5
Lindsey Russell went 3-for-4 with three RBI to lead the University of Mount Olive to a 7-5 win in game one of a doubleheader against Southern Wesleyan University in Central, S.C. Friday night. Mount Olive used a four run fourth inning to secure the win.
Mount Olive (8-9 Overall, 1-0 Conference Carolinas) got the bats swinging in the first inning as Kelsey Akers led off with a double down the right field line. Beth Overman sacrificed Akers to third. Russell brought Akers in on a groundout for the first run of the game.
Southern Wesleyan (11-12, 3-2) responded in the bottom half as Sara Sweatt walked to lead off the game. Sweatt was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came home on a RBI single by Lizzie Fela to tie the game at one.
The Trojans added a run on an RBI-double by Russell in the third. The Warriors tied the game in the bottom of the third.
Mount Olive's offense came alive in the fourth. Lauren McGrath singled to lead off the inning. Kristen Power moved McGrath to second on a bunt single and both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Erin Brogan. Brooke Kamphuis reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Two runs came home on a Jonas double to center field. A walk to Akers loaded the bases once again. Overman brought a run in on a fielder's choice and Akers was out at second. Russell drove in the final run of the inning with a single to through the left side.
An insurance run was added in the top of the seventh for the Trojans off a Tiffany Hawley RBI-double to left center. Southern Wesleyan made a final effort to make a game of it in bottom of the seventh down 7-4. The Warriors were able to get a two-out base runner as Barbee singled to left field. Fela doubled Barbee home with a hit out to left center. One run was all Southern Wesleyan could manage as the Trojans took game one.
Madison Johnson (5-3) took the win in game one. She went six and two thirds allowing five runs, three earned, off eight hits and two strikeouts. Caitlin Ewers (1) picked up the save as she recorded the final out of the inning.
Callie Wayne (4-5) was pinned for the loss as she allowed six runs off nine hits in three and two thirds innings pitched.
Game two: Mount Olive 3 Southern Wesleyan 5
Hawley got Mount Olive (8-10, 1-1) started with a single to third. Ashleigh Mason came in to pinch run for Hawley and moved to second on a bunt single by McGrath. Power put down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up. Brogan drove in the first run of game two with a sacrifice fly to left and Mason tagged up to score.
Akers reached on a fielder's choice that eliminated Taylor Carter at second. Akers stole second and moved to third on an Overman single to center. A double steal was successful as Akers slid in safely at home. Russell drove in the second run with an RBI-single up the middle to plate Overman and Mount Olive had a 3-0 lead.
Southern Wesleyan (12-12, 4-2) plated the first run for the Warriors with a solo home run in the fourth.
The Warriors were not done as they continued the attack in the fifth. Fela came up with two away and belted the second home run of the day over the left field wall. Ashleigh Wilbur drew a walk and came home on the next pitch as Callie Wayne doubled to right center. Shelby Stroud doubled as well and Wayne came home. Natalie Johnson came in to run for Stroud and scored on a fielding error by the shortstop and Southern Wesleyan took the lead 5-3.
Mount Olive was unable to plate any runs in the seventh and fell in game two.
Lauren Smith (3-6) took the loss for Mount Olive as she went four and two thirds and surrendered five runs on eight hits and three strikeouts.
Hunter Hoskins (3-0) picked up the win as she went the distance allowing three runs off eight hits and struck out two.
Mount Olive remains on the road as the Trojans will head to Tigerville, S.C. to play Conference Carolinas North Greenville in a doubleheader set to begin a 1 p.m. Saturday.