Trojans, Braves split softball twinbill

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 10, 2013 1:47 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Beth Overman slugged a fourth-inning grand slam and Mount Olive College defeated in-state foe UNC Pembroke, 8-6, in game one of a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday evening.

UNCP claimed the nightcap, 9-0 in six innings.

The Braves grabbed a 4-0 lead in game one, but the Trojans slowly chipped away at the deficit. Kassie Lowe's two-out single and Overman's bases-loaded RBI walk closed the gap to 4-2.

Overman's grand slam pushed Mount Olive ahead 6-4 in the fourth and the Trojans' defense fended off the Braves the final three innings of the contest.

Mount Olive starter Christie Wright (6-1) shut down the Braves' offense after the first, retiring 11 of the final 14 batters she faced before giving way to Carly White with one out in the fifth. White allowed one unearned in three innings to earn her first save of the season.

Pitchers Lauren Smith and Natalie Klemann dueled for four innings in the nightcap. Smith limited UNCP to four singles, while Klemann wiggled out of a third-inning jam and forced MOC to leave two runners stranded on base.

But the Trojans would never score. Klemann retired 10 of the final 11 batters she faced to earn the complete-game win. UNC Pembroke, of the Peach Belt Conference, exploded for six runs in the top of the fifth inning to seize control.

Mount Olive (25-9 overall) concludes the home portion of its schedule Thursday against conference archrival Barton. First pitch is 4 p.m. at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field.