Trojans' Jackson tosses third shutout

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 4, 2007 1:48 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Jenny Jackson tossed her third shutout in her last four starts and combined with Bailey Harrell to drive in all four runs as Mount Olive defeated Barton 4-0 in game one of a Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference softball doubleheader Tuesday at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field. The win puts Mount Olive at the 30-win mark for the first time since 2000.

In the nightcap, Barton rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to defeat the Trojans 5-3 and gain a split in the doubleheader.

Mount Olive (30-13 overall, 10-2 CVAC) struck for two runs in the bottom of the first in game one as Tiffanie Pittman led off with a single, went to second on Kensie Cobb's bunt single and scored on Jackson's single, beating the throw to the plate. Both runners advanced on the throw and Cobb came home on Harrell's squeeze bunt.

The Trojans added two more runs in the third as Erin Wilson stole third and scored on Jackson's sacrifice fly at the left field fence. Cobb came home when Harrell doubled off the padding on the top of the fence in left field.

Pittman went 2-for-3 for the Trojans, including her team-leading 14th double of the season.

Jackson (11-4) allowed only one hit through three innings before giving up two hits in the fourth and fifth innings. But Jackson retired the final seven batters she faced to pick her seventh win in her last eight decisions. Jackson has allowed only one earned run over her last 30 1/3 innings pitched.

In the second game, Barton (15-20, 3-7) put runners on second and third with one out in the top of the second inning on a single by Amber Fletcher and a double by Mindy Tripp. Fletcher scored on Courtney Bunch's sacrifice fly, just evading Cobb's tag at the plate, Tripp came home on an infield error to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.

The Trojans answered with a run in the bottom of the second as Jamie Pruitt led off with a single, went to third on a throwing error on Courtney Wallace's sacrifice attempt and scored on Wilson's opposite-field single down the left field line to pull within 2-1.

Mount Olive got a leadoff base hit in each of the first four innings and loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fourth. But Barton shortstop Emily Sale caught Pittman's line drive for the second out and the Bulldogs got out of the inning on a force out at third.

The Trojans bounced back in the bottom of the fifth as a one-out walk to Jackson and a two-out walk to Pruitt put runners on first and second. Wallace singled up the middle to drive in pinch-runner Kat Cahoon and tie the game. Pruitt advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Wilson's single to give Mount Olive its first lead 3-2.

Barton loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but Trojan starter Shauna Cowdrey got out of the jam on a pair of pop outs. Cowdrey gave way in the top of the seventh to closer Christine Ermer (0-1), who entered the game ranked second in the nation with four saves. But after Ermer retired the leadoff batter on a first-pitch ground out, Sale and Jayme Beacham followed with singles and moved to second and third on Fletcher's sacrifice, Tripp, Bunch and Claire Severt followed with RBI singles to give Barton a two-run lead.

Jackson led off the bottom of the seventh with a double and Pruitt drew a one-out walk. But Barton pitcher Kim Page (8-8) sealed the win on a line out and a fly out.

Wilson was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in for Mount Olive in game two.

-- MOC sports information