Coker ends MOC's title run

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 20, 2009 1:46 PM

• Print
• Email

MOC Sports Information

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Mount Olive College scratched for a sixth-inning run, but endured a season-ending 3-1 loss to Coker (S.C.) College in the 2009 Conference Carolinas softball tournament.

The second-seeded Trojans (25-18-1 overall), who finished runner-up in regular-season play, are the only team to record top-three showings in regular-season and tournament action during each of the past three seasons.

Allison Czerski and Jenny Jackson earned all-tournament honors. It was the final contest for Jackson and fellow seniors Kat Cahoon, Morgan Whaley, Karen Thornton and Anna Turvin. Four-year seniors -- Cahoon, Thornton and Whaley -- concluded their careers with 119 wins, the second-highest four-year total in Trojan softball history.

"I wasn't aware of the wins total," said Whaley after the game. "I hate to see it come to an end. It's been a great four years. I really love this team. There's a great group coming back next year and I know they're going to have a lot of success."

Eighth-seeded Coker (21-18) used a pair of third-inning, infield singles to break the scoreless tie. Brittany Owens extended the Cobras' advantage to 2-0 with a two-out, solo homer in the fourth inning.

Mount Olive averted the shutout in the sixth inning.

Cahoon drew a lead-off walk and advanced to second on Kelly Minshew's sacrifice. Jackson walked to set the table for Whaley, who doubled during her previous at-bat. The Kinston native drove a pitch off Abby Catlett's glove through the left side to score Cahoon.

The Trojans trailed 2-1.

Pinch-hitter Kayla Voorhees reached on a two-out error to load the bases. Catlett, an all-conference selection, induced an inning-ending pop-up to stop the rally.

Coker added a seventh-inning run to eliminate the Trojans.