Conference Carolinas: UMO repeats as softball champ, returns to NCAA tournament

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 28, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

BURLINGTON -- Carly White didn't want to think about attending class today with no softball practice scheduled for later in the day.

She wanted more time in the bullpen. And to play at least two more games.

She and her University of Mount Olive teammates made their hopes become reality at Springwood Park on Sunday afternoon. White earned MVP honors and the Trojans repeated as the Conference Carolinas tournament champions with an 11-3 romp over King (Tenn.) University.

Mount Olive (24-24 overall) secured its second straight trip to the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

"Oh my gosh ... so exciting and awesome, and I'm so glad to be a part of it," Trojans head coach Jaime Kylis said. "Not only our games, but when we weren't eating, we were there watching the other games because it was championship-caliber play by all of the teams the whole weekend."

The fourth-seeded Trojans played clean and crisp on both sides of the ball during the four-day, double-elimination affair. UMO committed just five errors in 28 innings of play and tagged opposing pitchers for 25 runs on 27 hits.

All-tournament selection Kelsey Akers broke the program's single-season record for hits (71) with a 2-for-4 effort during the championship game. Akers surpassed Heather Parker, who set the single-season record (69) in 1998.

Beth Overman and Ashleigh Mason each earned an all-tournament nod for Mount Olive, which extended its win streak to 10 games.

Kylis used a three-pitcher rotation during the Trojans' tournament run a year ago. UMO had to win four elimination-round games, including a pair of 10-inning thrillers, to claim their first-ever postseason bid.

White shouldered the burden this weekend.

She logged a 4-0 record inside the circle and is now 7-0 with a no-decision in her last eight starts. White yielded just five earned runs and logged 10 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings of work during tournament play.

Madison Johnston notched a pair of saves.

"Carly knew that she had three arms behind her that were rested, warmed up and ready to go if we needed them," Kylis said. "All the teams we played had that one solid pitcher and we knew if we could break that pitcher, it would be that much easier and that's what we did."

UMO finally got to King's Hannah Light in the third inning. Savannah Becker broke the scoreless tie with a single up the middle.

A fielding error led to the game's second run and Overman laced a two-RBI double down the third-base line. Kaitlyn Ewers' capped the five-run uprising with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field.

Light departed in the top of the fourth inning after issuing a lead-off walk to Jennifer Jones. Jones scored on Mason's single to center field to make it 6-0.

"Hannah is such a great pitcher," Kylis said. "The thing about her is she has command of all of her pitches, and is the emotional driver for her team. Our kids hit her well."

The Tornado closed to within 6-4 after six innings, but the Trojans slammed the door shut in the seventh. Erin Brogan's three-RBI triple highlighted a five-run inning.

White exited in the sixth and allowed five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Johnson supplied 1 1/3 innings of one-strikeout, scoreless relief.

UMO finished the day with a tournament-high 13 hits.

"They had a calm, confident air about them," Kylis said. "They just weren't going to lose and you could feel it while you were around them."

With White leading the way.