Trojan softball hits road for CVAC play

Published in Sports on March 31, 2006 2:02 PM

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The Mount Olive softball team heads west this weekend as the Trojans go on the road for a pair of Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference doubleheaders. Mount Olive travels to Banner Elk on Saturday at 2 p.m. to face Lees-McRae, then head to Charlotte on Sunday at 1 p.m. to take on conference leader Queens.

Live Audio Webcasts are available for both doubleheaders on the Mount Olive College athletics website at www.moc.edu/athletics.

Mount Olive (19-22 overall, 3-9 CVAC) lost their first eight conference games -- three by one run -- but got on the win column last weekend. The Trojans swept a doubleheader against St. Andrews Saturday and split a pair of one-run games against Belmont Abbey Sunday.

The long ball had not been a part of the Mount Olive arsenal in recent years, but the Trojans rank third in the CVAC in home runs with 18. Catcher Bailey Harrell, who has had a pair of two-home run games this season, is tied for second in the CVAC with 10 homers.

Leadoff batter Tiffanie Pittman has given new meaning to the term "utility player," having played the centerfield, shortstop and designated player positions and even pitched one game. Pittman ranks second in the CVAC in hitting (.402) and is tied for fourth with 27 runs scored.

First baseman Georgette Richardson leads the CVAC with 17 doubles and is tied for third with 29 runs batted in. Richardson also has three home runs this season.

On the mound, starter Shauna Cowdrey ranks third in the CVAC in strikeouts. Reliever Christine Ermer, who picked up a win and a save last weekend, has not allowed a run in her last six appearances.

Saturday's game pits the top two base stealing teams in the CVAC. Lees-McRae (7-15, 3-7) leads the conference with 47 stolen bases, followed by Mount Olive with 46.

Sunday, the Trojans hope to knock Queens (23-15, 12-0) out of the ranks of the unbeaten in conference play. The Royals are coming off a pair of one-run victories Tuesday against UNC Pembroke. Along with home runs and stolen bases, Mount Olive is among the conference leaders in hitting and fielding. The Trojans rank second in the CVAC with a .293 team batting average and third with a .948 fielding percentage.

MOC Sports Information