MOC Sports roundup

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on March 25, 2004 1:55 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College softball team will face an opponent from the South Atlantic Conference for the second time this week as the Trojans travel to Wingate today to take on Wingate University in non-conference softball. Game time is 2 p.m.

Mount Olive (11-15) is coming off a pair of one-run losses Monday at Catawba that Trojan head softball coach Jaime Kylis termed as "nail-biters." Mount Olive lost the first game 2-1 when Catawba broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning, then lost the second game 3-2 as Catawba scored the game-winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.

The loss was Mount Olive's first this season in extra innings. Mount Olive had entered Monday's doubleheader on a four-game winning streak.

On the mound, junior Erin Case and freshman Shauna Cowdrey have combined for a 1.06 earned run average over the Trojans' last six games. Case and Cowdrey have allowed only three earned runs apiece in their last three starts.

Wingate (17-9) swept a doubleheader against Belmont Abbey Wednesday, winning both games in extra innings.

Mount Olive returns home for a pair of Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference doubleheaders this weekend. The Trojans play host to Pfeiffer Saturday, then play host to St. Andrews Sunday. Saturday's contest will be preceded by a special dedication ceremony for the newly-constructed dugouts at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. The ceremony begins at 12:30 p.m. and the first pitch is slated for 2 p.m.

Softball - Smith named CVAC player of week

MOUNT OLIVE -- Mount Olive College softball player Kristie Smith was named Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Softball Player of the Week, it was announced Tuesday.

Smith helped lead the Trojans to a 4-0 mark last week. Smith, a freshman designated hitter from Charlotte (Butler HS), made her first collegiate home run a memorable one, belting a grand slam in the Trojans' 9-0 win over Fayetteville State in game two of a non-conference doubleheader Thursday after going 3-for-3 in game one.

Sunday, she hit .429 in a CVAC doubleheader sweep at Lees-McRae. She went 2-for-4 with a double and two rbi in a 6-2 game one victory and went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored as the Trojans won game two 3-2. For the week, Smith hit .500 (7-for-14) with two doubles, a grand slam home run and six runs batted in.

Smith becomes the second Trojan softball player in four weeks to win player of the week honors, joining freshman Kim Goens, also from Charlotte (Independence HS). Mount Olive is 11-15 overall and 4-4 in the CVAC. Mount Olive, which was picked 10th in the CVAC Preseason Poll, is currently in fourth place in the CVAC standings.

Tennis -- Women blank Peace College

RALEIGH -- Mount Olive extended its winning streak to five as the Trojans defeated Peace 9-0 in non-conference women's tennis Wednesday at Raleigh. The shutout was also the fifth in a row for Mount Olive, which evened its record to 6-6.

Mount Olive won all six singles matches in straight sets as Lucia Henkle (No. 1 singles), Samanthi Wijesekera (No. 3 singles) and Lauren Harris (No. 6 singles) lost only one game apiece.

The Mount Olive women's and men's tennis teams return to action this weekend as they participate in the North/South Duals Friday through Sunday at Wilson.

Mount Olive 9, Peace 0

Singles -- 1 Lucia Henkle (MOC) def. Carrie Vinson (PC) 6-0, 6-1 2. Mariana Shimoda (MOC) def. Charlotte Davis (PC) 6-1, 6-2 3. Samanthi Wijesekera (MOC) def. Meredith Doughton (PC) 6-1, 6-0 4. Ashley Westbrook (MOC) def. Cotton Jackocks (PC) 7-5, 6-1 5. Amanda Aycock (MOC) def. Erika Milse (PC) 6-2, 6-3 6. Lauren Harris (MOC) def. Shanequa Shuler (PC) 6-0, 6-1 Doubles -- 1. Henkle/Shimoda (MOC) def. Vinson/Doughton (PC) 8-2 2. Wijesekera/Aycock (MOC) def. Davis/Milse (PC) 8-4 3. Westbrook/Harris (MOC) def. Jackocks/Shuler (PC) 8-0.