MOC-Belmont

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on March 29, 2010 1:46 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Katie Devenuto's bases-loaded, RBI single capped a third-inning outburst and Mount Olive rallied past Belmont Abbey 8-6 in the opener of their Conference Carolinas softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon.

The Crusaders claimed the nightcap, 7-3.

The Trojans (14-22, 5-4 CC) spotted the visitors a 5-0, first-inning lead in game one on the Nancy Chapman Cassell Field diamond. Abbey benefited from two errors and pushed four runs across against MOC starter Sarah Saunders.

Rosewood High alum Aubrey Reinhard put MOC on the board with a second-inning, RBI single.

Allison Czerski ignited the Trojans' third-inning rally with a two-RBI double. A bases-loaded walk and hit batsman accounted for two additional runs before Devenuto singled through the left side, putting MOC ahead 6-5.

The Trojans added a run in the fourth, but Belmont Abbey (17-15, 9-3) closed the gap to 7-6 a sixth-inning run on Anna Smart's RBI single.

MOC shortstop Kelly Minshew rapped a lead-off double to start the sixth, stole third and scored on Czerski's bunt single. Czerski was 3-for-3 with three RBI. Minshew is now a perfect 17-for-17 in stolen bases.

Saunders (2-5) retired 13 of 15 batters after the first inning, but ran into trouble in the fifth. Saunders allowed only two earned runs in 62/3 innings.

Freshman right-hander Lauren Darden overcame a two-out error in the seventh, and earned her first collegiate save.

In game two, Belmont Abbey starter Emily Self held Mount Olive hitless until Robbin Kennedy singled in the fourth inning. Kennedy stole second and tied the game 1-1 after Reinhard reached on an error.

The teams traded leads until the Crusaders pulled away in the latter stages.

Kayla Vorhees homered in the seventh for the Trojans.

MOC hurler Kristin Ware (5-5) recorded seven strikeouts in 52/3 innings inside the pitcher's circle.

The Trojans travel to Coker on Tuesday.