Jackson hurls perfect game in MOC opener; Coker salvages CVAC split in nightcap

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 25, 2007 2:19 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Jenny Jackson tossed a seven-inning perfect game and helped her own cause with her team-leading, eighth home run of the season as Mount Olive defeated Coker (S.C.) College 2-0 in game one of a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.

Jackson recorded Mount Olive's first-ever perfect outing against a CVAC opponent.

In the nightcap, the Trojans cut a three-run deficit down to two in the final inning, but Coker held on for a 3-2 victory. It was Mount Olive's first conference defeat in eight outings.

Despite the loss in the nightcap, Mount Olive's win in the opener puts the Trojans (27-10, 7-1 CVAC) above last year's entire win total with 18 regular-season games remaining before next month's CVAC Tournament.

The Trojans got a lead-off double by Tiffanie Pittman in the bottom of the first and had two runners in scoring position with one out in the second, but would not score their first run until the third.

Pittman was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Erin Wilson and scored on Bailey Harrell's two-out single just inside the right field line.

Jackson gave herself an insurance run with one out in the fifth, drilling a line-drive home run over the left-field fence for her second home run in as many games.

Jackson (9-3) retired all 21 batters she faced and threw only 76 pitches for the game, including six pitches in the sixth inning. The perfect game is the second for a Trojan pitcher this season. Ashley Raynor threw a five-inning perfect game against St. Paul's in February. Christine Ermer tossed a five-inning perfect game against Fayetteville State last year.

Cobb and Courtney Wallace had two hits apiece for Mount Olive.

In the nightcap, Trojan starter Shauna Cowdrey (8-5) retired the first eight batters she faced before Coker (25-9, 8-4) loaded the bases on two hit batsmen and an infield single. Cowdrey got out of the inning on a force out at third.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when Jenna Beatty led off with a single, advanced to second on sacrifice and came home on a single by Klees. Katie McCauley's two-out, RBI single gave Coker a 2-0 lead.

The Cobras extended the lead to 3-0 in the sixth on Anna Lucas' rbi-single.

Coker pitcher Shelly Catlett (8-2) held Mount Olive scoreless on four hits through six innings, but the Trojan bats woke up in the bottom of the seventh. Pruitt led off with a single to right and Morgan Whaley followed one out later with a pinch-hit single.

Pittman singled up the middle to load the bases and the Trojans plated two runs when Melissa Bright's ground ball was misplayed. But Catlett halted the rally on an infield pop-up.