MOC softball team splits twinbill

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 25, 2009 1:47 PM

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MOC Sports Information

PEMBROKE -- Kat Cahoon ignited a sixth-inning uprising as Mount Olive dumped in-state rival UNC Pembroke 3-1 in the opening game of a non-conference, softball doubleheader Tuesday afternoon.

The Braves won the nightcap, 5-3.

Trailing 1-0 after five innings, Cahoon started the Trojans' sixth with lead-off single. Kelly Minshew singled and Jenny Jackson drew a walk to load the bases with no outs.

Cahoon was gunned down at the plate on a fielder's choice, but Minshew scored when Jessica Vasquez was hit by a pitch. Velasquez was eventually forced out at second, which pushed Jackson home for the 2-1 advantage.

Pinch-hitter Alyssa Bradshaw, a freshman from Southern Wayne, led off the MOC seventh with a base hit. Pinch-runner Morgan Whaley advanced to second on Karen Thornton's sacrifice, and trotted home on Cahoon's base knock.

Trojans pitcher Kristin Ware finished with a complete-game, three-hitter. After losing her shutout bid in the fourth inning, Ware (6-5) retired 10 of the final 11 batters she faced.

Jelena Shaw's second-inning, three-run homer gave UNCP the offense it needed in the second game. The Trojans climbed within 4-3 on Robbin Kennedy's third-inning, RBI double and Minshew's run-scoring double in the fourth.

UNCP added an insurance run in the sixth inning.

Mount Olive pitcher Sarah Saunders (4-4) recorded just four outs and suffered the mound loss. Sasha Snyder threw four-plus innings of one-run relief.

The Trojans (16-15-1 overall) entertain Erskine (S.C.) University on Friday. First pitch is 3 p.m. on the Nancy Chapman Cassell Field diamond.