Kayla Allen went 3-for-3 and singled in a run during a four-run fifth inning as University of Mount Olive defeated Post University 4-1 at the 2016 Spring Games softball tournament Wednesday at Clermont, Fla. Madison Johnston held Post hitless after the fourth inning and finished with a four-hitter.
The Trojans had to settle for their second straight split after falling to University of the Sciences 10-7.
Against Post, Johnston (6-5) allowed an unearned run with one out in the top of the fourth, then retired 11 of the final 12 batters she faced. The lone Post runner reached on an error in the fifth inning. Johnston struck out five and walked one.
Mount Olive (10-12) was held scoreless until taking the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth. Kelsey Akers' two-out double brought home Kristin Power with the Trojans' first run of the game. Akers scored the go-ahead run on a pinch-hit double by Savannah Becker, who scored on Allen's single. Allen, who advanced to second when Becker beat the throw to the plate, scored the final run on Anna Ingram's double.
The Trojans overcame an early 2-0 deficit against University of the Sciences with four runs in the top of the second, all with two outs. Brooke Kamphuis hit a bases-loaded two-run single and Akers and Becker each singled in a run. After the Devils tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the second, Power came home on another rbi-single by Akers to put the Trojans back on top 5-4.
University of the Sciences capitalized on a pair of Trojan errors to break the game open with six runs in the fourth. Mount Olive attempted a comeback in the sixth with rbi-singles by Allen and Ingram. The Trojans had runners on first and second with nobody out, but the rally was thwarted on three straight ground balls to short. Mount Olive was retired in order in the seventh.
Mount Olive concludes play at the Spring Games with two more contests Thursday afternoon. The Trojans face Walsh University at 3 p.m. and take on University of Minnesota-Duluth at 5 p.m.