Cowdrey, Raynor each toss no-hitter

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 21, 2007 2:11 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Shauna Cowdrey tossed a no-hitter in game one and Ashley Raynor threw a perfect game in the nightcap as Mount Olive swept a doubleheader against St. Paul's 13-0 and 11-0 in non-conference softball Tuesday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.

Both pitchers struck out nine and neither pitcher allowed a ball hit out of the infield as the Trojans won both games in five innings.

Raynor (1-0) became the second Trojan in as many seasons to throw a perfect game. Christine Ermer tossed a five-inning perfect game last season against Fayetteville State. Raynor threw only 48 pitches, 40 for strikes. She got to a two-ball count on only two batters and recorded strikeouts both times.

"I was aware that I had a perfect game going," said Raynor, a junior who transferred to Mount Olive from Louisburg College. "I just wanted to stay focused."

Raynor recorded two strikeouts in every inning except the second. The remaining six outs were groundouts, three on the first pitch.

Mount Olive (5-1) gave Raynor plenty of run support with a nine-run first inning as the Trojans sent 13 batters to the plate. Allison Czerski drove in three runs with two singles in the first inning. Cameron Deal added a two-run double in the inning.

In the opener, Mount Olive built a 5-0 lead through the first two innings one and Cowdrey (1-1) retired the first seven batters she faced before issuing a one-out walk to Uranda Mason in the top of the third. The Trojans broke the game open in the bottom half as Courtney Wallace's bases-loaded two-run single capped a five-run third inning. Mount Olive added three runs in the fourth, two coming off of hit batsmen with the bases loaded.

Cowdrey retired the side in order in the fourth and opened the fifth inning with a strikeout. After allowing her second walk of the game, Cowdrey struck out the final two batters to record her first collegiate no-hitter. Cowdrey struck out five of the last six batters she faced.

"I was getting a little nervous when they started hitting the ball, but I was able to settle down," said Cowdrey, a senior from Alta Lomo, Calif. "Last week was kind of rough for me, so today felt good." Cowdrey was 0-1 in two starts over the weekend, but faced only two batters over the minimum Tuesday.

Mount Olive finished with only five hits in the first game as Kensie Cobb's third-inning leadoff double was the Trojans' lone extra base hit. Five Trojans reached on bases on balls and five Trojans were hit by pitch.

St. Paul's (0-2), which was seeing action for the first time this season, turned in a number of defensive gems to prevent the Trojans from doing more damage after the first inning of game two. Catcher Stephanie Gray made a sliding catch into the backstop on a foul pop-up in the second inning. Third baseman Katrice Bagwell and shortstop Keeyona Brown combined to rob Jenny Jackson of a potential extra base hit in the third inning when Jackson's laser caromed off Bagwell into the glove of Brown, who threw Jackson out at first by a step.

Mount Olive returns to action Thursday as the Trojans play host to North Carolina Central, also of the CIAA. The doubleheader gets under way at 3 p.m. at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.

Game 1

Mount Olive 13, St. Paul's 0

St. Paul's 000 00 -- 0 0 3

Mount Olive 235 3x -- 13 5 0

Pitchers: St. Paul's -- Brown, K.; Bagwell, K. (4). Mount Olive -- Shauna Cowdrey.

Win -- Cowdrey (1-1) Loss -- Brown, K. (0-1)

Hitters: Mount Olive -- Morgan Whaley (1-2, 2 runs, 2 RBI).

T-1:40

Game 2

Mount Olive 11, St. Paul's 0

St. Paul's 000 00 -- 0 0 1

Mount Olive 910 1x -- 11 13 0

Pitchers: St. Paul's -- Mason, U.. Mount Olive -- Ashley Raynor.

Win -- Raynor (1-0) Loss -- Mason, U. (0-1)

Hitters: Mount Olive -- Allison Czerski (3-3, 3 RBI); Cameron Deal (2-3, double, 3 runs, 2 RBI).

T-1:08 A-144

-- MOC sports information