Mount Olive and Catawba each win one

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on February 14, 2009 11:21 PM

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SALISBURY, N.C. - Katie Nalley's two-run single capped a four-run third inning and Kayla Voorhees added a solo home run as Mount Olive defeated Catawba 9-3 in game two for a split in the Trojans' season-opening softball doubleheader Saturday at Salisbury, N.C. Jenny Jackson, who homered in the first game, retired all six batters she faced for a save in the nightcap. Catawba took the opener 11-3.

Mount Olive (1-1) trailed 1-0 in the nightcap before Ericka Taylor's two-run single in the top of the third put the Trojans ahead to stay. A single by Robbin Kennedy and a walk to Jackson loaded the bases and after a pitching change, Nalley drove in Taylor and Kennedy with a single to right-center to give the Trojans a 4-1 lead.

Voorhees belted her first collegiate home run in the fourth and Mount Olive added an unearned run in the fifth as the Trojans led 6-3.

Trojan starter Kristin Ware (1-0) pitched into the sixth inning in her first collegiate start after redshirting last year due to an injury. Ware struck out three, allowing eight hits and three runs, one unearned.

Jackson took over in the bottom of the sixth after Kristyn Funderburke led off with a single. After a strikeout by Jackson, a sacrifice moved the runner to second, Kennedy fielded Callie Gordy's bunt to third and threw Gordy out to end the inning.

Mount Olive added three insurance runs in the seventh as Alyssa Bradshaw and Anna Munizza connected on rbi-singles. Morgan Whaley drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Jackson struck out two in a perfect seventh inning to close out the game.

Kelly Minshew went 3-for-4 to pace the Trojans' 12-hit attack, while Nalley was 2-for-2.

In the opener, Mount Olive jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The Trojans loaded the bases without benefit of a hit and Kennedy got Mount Olive on the scoreboard with a two-out two-run single down the left field line.

Catawba (2-2) came back with three runs in the bottom of the first as Allie Marshall's two-run single gave the Indians a 3-2 lead. Catawba added four runs in the second on Marshall's two-run homer and Ryann Baker's two-run double.

Jackson hit a solo home run in the top of the third to pull the Trojans within 7-3. But Catawba added a run in the fourth and ended the game with three runs in the fifth.

Kennedy was 2-for-2 for Mount Olive, which was limited to five hits.

Mount Olive returns to action Wednesday as the Trojans travel to Murfreesboro, N.C., to take on Chowan in a non-conference doubleheader. Game time is 2 p.m.