Mount Olive knocks off Belmont Abbey

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on February 25, 2007 2:16 AM

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BELMONT -- Morgan Whaley hit a three-run homer in the top of the first and Jenny Jackson recorded 13 strikeouts to make it stand as Mount Olive defeated Belmont Abbey 3-2 in game one of a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader Saturday.

In the nightcap, Tiffanie Pittman homered and Krystal Bourne held Belmont Abbey to one run in six innings as the Trojans completed the sweep with a 7-1 victory.

Saturday's doubleheader marked the conference openers for the Trojans, which extended their winning streak to six.

Mount Olive (9-1 overall, 2-0 CVAC) did all of its damage in game one with two outs in the first as Bailey Harrell drew a walk, Jackson singled and Whaley just cleared the fence with a line drive to left for second home run in as many games and third of the season. The home run gave Whaley her third consecutive three-RBI game.

Belmont Abbey (3-11, 0-4) pulled within a run with a two-run single in the bottom of the third. But Jackson (3-0) shut down the Crusaders the rest of the way, striking out the side -- all looking -- in the bottom of the seventh to close out the win. Jackson finished with a three-hitter.

Pittman led off game two with a double and eventually scored when Whaley walked with the bases loaded. Pittman led off the top of the second with her first home run of the season to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead.

Mount Olive added three runs in the fifth on Courtney Wallace's two-run single and a run-scoring single by Bourne. The Trojans capped the scoring in the sixth as Kat Cahoon singled, stole second and third and scored on Harrell's single. Jackson added an RBI single in the inning.

Bourne (3-0) scattered seven hits and struck out two. Christine Ermer retired the side in order on eight pitches in the seventh.

Today's CVAC doubleheader at Pfeiffer has been postponed due to the storm expected to pass through North Carolina Sunday. A make-up date will be announced.

Mount Olive returns to action Wednesday as the Trojans play host to Wingate in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 3 p.m. at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.