Case hurls 6-hitter against VSU

Published in Sports on March 5, 2004 1:57 PM

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MOC Sports Information

MOUNT OLIVE -- Erin Case tossed a six-hitter as host Mount Olive College defeated Virginia State University 5-1 in game two of a non-conference NCAA Division II softball doubleheader Thursday afternoon on the Nancy Cassell Chapman diamond.

In the first game, Nikki Price scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch with one out in the bottom of the eighth to give the Trojans a 6-5 victory.

The twinbill sweep extended the Trojans' winning streak to five.

In game one, Mount Olive (5-4) broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the second when Price drew a lead-off walk and eventually scored when Jackie Wyman reached on a fielder's choice.

Virginia State (1-5) tied the game in the top of the third on back-to-back doubles by Charlynda Credle and Tiya Hines. Virginia State added a run in the top of the fourth, but Mount Olive answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth as Kim Goens and Kristie Smith had RBI singles to put the Trojans ahead 5-2.

Virginia State added a run in the fifth and tied the game with two runs in the sixth as Tishell Blakney doubled home a run and scored the tying run on Credle's single.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the eighth when Price was placed on second for the "international tie-breaker" rule. Price advanced to third on Erin Wilson's infield single and scored the game-winner on a wild pitch.

Freshman pitcher Shauna Cowdrey (2-1) went the distance for Mount Olive and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts.

Virginia State outhit Mount Olive 11-5 as four different players had two hits apiece.

In the second game, Mount Olive broke open a one-run game with three runs in the fifth inning. The Trojans loaded the bases with one out and capitalized on a throwing error for two runs and added a final run on a fielder's choice.

Case, who has allowed only one run in her last two outings, struck out seven and did not issue a walk for the second consecutive game.

Hines, who went the distance on the mound in both games for Virginia State, batted 3-for-3 at the plate in game two.

Mount Olive returns to action this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders.

The Trojans travel to Erskine (S.C.) College for a Saturday doubleheader in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference action. The first game begins at 10 a.m. due to Erskine also hosting the men's and women's CVAC basketball tournaments.

Mount Olive returns home Sunday for a non-conference twinbill against Presbyterian (S.C.) College. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

West, Holloway recognized

DUE WEST, S.C. -- Marcus West was named to the first team for the second consecutive year and Sharome Holloway earned honorable mention status on the 2003-04 All-CVAC men's basketball team announced Thursday at Erskine College.

West, a 6-7 senior from Phoenix, Ariz., averaged 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game this year. He scored in double figures in 23 of 27 games this season, including seven games of 20 points or more. He scored 23 points in games against Queens and St. Andrews, and recorded double-doubles against Barton and St. Andrews. He was named CVAC Player of the Week for the week of February 9-15.

West may be best known this year for his 75-foot game-winner at the buzzer in Mount Olive's 108-105 win over then-No. 3 and previously-undefeated Pfeiffer. The shot aired on national television networks and local affiliates across the country, and was named "Play of the Day" on ESPN and CNN Headline News.

Holloway, a 6-8 junior from Phoenix, Ariz., averaged 8.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, and emerged as a full-time starter midway through the season. A transfer from South Mountain CC (Ariz.), Holloway recorded three double-doubles this season, including career highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds in the 108-105 win over Pfeiffer.

He also tallied all of his 14 points and 10 rebounds after halftime in the Trojans' come-from-behind win at Barton in January, the Trojans' first win on Barton's home floor in four years. Holloway earned CVAC Player of the Week honors for the week of Jan. 12-18.

Mount Olive faces Queens at 8 p.m. today in the semifinals of the CVAC basketball tournament.

Charles, Harvey honored

DUE WEST, S.C. -- Ladora Charles was named to the second team and Latoria Harvey earned honorable mention on the 2003-04 All-CVAC women's basketball team announced Thursday at Erskine College.

Charles led the Trojans in scoring with 15.3 points per game. A 5-foot-6 senior from Jacksonville, Charles ranked in the top 10 in the CVAC in four statistical categories: scoring (No. 8), steals (No. 9), assists (No. 10) and free throw shooting (No. 2).

Charles scored in double figures in 22 of 29 games this season, including nine games of 20 points or more. She scored a season-high 24 points against Queens University and flirted with a triple-double -- 16 points, nine steals and seven assists against Anderson.

Charles was a preseason All-CVAC selection.

Harvey, a 5-11 junior from Ivanhoe, tallied 13.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game this season. The former Union High standout ranked fourth in the CVAC in rebounding, and 13th in scoring; and her 54.6 percent shooting percentage was third-highest in the conference.

She recorded 15 double-doubles in 27 games, including a 17-point, 11-rebound performance in the Trojans' CVAC tournament quarterfinal game at Barton on Wednesday.

Harvey scored a career-high 29 points in Mount Olive's season opener against N.C. Central and matched a career-high with 17 rebounds against Erskine.

Mount Olive concluded the year 11-18.