Queends sweep softball double header from Mount Olive

Published in Sports on April 3, 2006 1:55 PM

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CHARLOTTE -- Queens struck in the first inning in both games as Mount Olive fell 8-0 and 7-0 in a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader Sunday.

Mount Olive (20-25 overall, 4-12 CVAC) appeared to be getting out of the first inning of game one unscathed, but Queens (25-15, 14-0), struck for three runs with two outs as Brittany Harkey's two-run double capped the inning. Queens extended the lead to 6-0 as a pair of errors led to two unearned runs in a three-run third inning.

Mount Olive threatened in the top of the fourth inning when Tiffanie Pittman drew a leadoff walk and an error on Colleen Thomas' sacrifice attempt put runners on second and third with nobody out. But Queens pitcher Meg Barker got out of the inning on a foul out and a pair of strikeouts.

The Trojans were held hitless until Rigil Gruca led off the top of the fifth with a double down the left field line. Mount Olive threatened again in the sixth on a single by Pittman and a two-out double by Georgette Richardson, but a foul out ended the inning.

Richardson's double was her 19th of the season, which is first in the conference and adds to her school record for most doubles in a season. Richardson hit her record-breaking 18th double Saturday against Lees-McRae.

In the second game, Queens sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning as Erica Brummel's bases-loaded two-run single helped the Royals jump out to a 6-0 lead.

Queens threatened to add to its lead in the second inning when Marylee Giurintano led off with a double. But left fielder Gruca threw Giurintano out at third on Kari Kmetic's single and the Trojans were able to keep the Royals off the board.

Mount Olive, which put two runners on base with two outs in the top of the first inning, put together another two-out threat in the third. The Trojans loaded the bases as Thomas singled, Morgan Whaley drew a walk and Richardson singled. Whaley walked and Richardson singled in the first inning as well.

But the threat ended when Gruca's line drive to right-center was flagged down by Queens centerfielder Cynthia Ochoa.

Trojan starter Shauna Cowdrey settled down after the first two innings, allowing only two more hits the rest of the way and retiring 10 of 11 batters during one stretch.

Mount Olive made one final two-out threat in the bottom of the seventh as Erin Wilson beat out an infield single and Pittman reached on an error. But Queens pitcher Barker, who pitched the final four innings, ended the game with a strikeout.

Barker picked up the wins in both games.

Mount Olive returns to action Tuesday as the Trojans play host to UNC Pembroke in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 5 p.m. at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.

MOC Sports Information