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Box Score 2
by Kevin Buczek
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C.-Barton College held on for a 5-4 win in Thursday's second game to earn a Conference Carolinas softball split against host Mount Olive College at Nancy Cassell Field.
The Trojans won the first game 8-2 to remain in contention for the Conference Carolinas regular season title, finishing the day with records of 26-10 overall and 12-4 in the league. The Lady Bulldogs were eliminated from postseason consideration with the loss and will enter the last weekend of the regular season with ledgers of 8-24 overall and 5-15 in the conference.
Barton next hosts Shaw University in a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday at Jeffries Field. The Lady Bulldogs will celebrate Senior Day with Barton's senior class being honored between games.
GAME ONE: Mount Olive 8, Barton 2
The hosts jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never trailed en route to the six-run win in the opener. Mount Olive scored its eight runs on nine hits and five walks.
A solo home run by freshman Savannah Becker put the Trojans ahead for good to lead off the second. Mount Olive scored two runs in the second and three more in the fourth to build a five-run advantage before Barton closed the gap to 5-2 but another three-run inning in the sixth ensured a win for Mount Olive.
Junior starter Carly White, who leads the conference with a 1.44 ERA, held the Lady Bulldogs to just two runs in the complete-game victory. White (11-3) had six strikeouts and took a no hit bid into the fourth inning before freshman pitching counterpart Liz White broke up the bid with a single to left with two outs in the frame.
Sophomore right fielder Emily Leagon factored in both of Barton's runs. Leagon led off the fifth with a base hit to center field and later scored on a MOC error. Leagon then belted the Lady Bulldogs only extra base hit off Carly White in the sixth with a double to right that plated senior Rebecka Morgan, who started the rally with a single.
Liz White (3-9) matched Carly White with strikeouts but suffered the loss allowing all eight runs over five-plus innings.
GAME TWO: Barton 5, Mount Olive 4
Junior Autumn Pittman only allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings of work and the Lady Bulldogs held on for a narrow one-run triumph in the nightcap.
Mount Olive trailed 5-1 heading into the bottom of the seventh but was able to string together three runs with the aid of four singles off Liz White before Pittman returned to the pitcher's circle and retired the next two batters to end the contest with Barton in front.
Pittman (3-10) only gave up three hits to the Trojans, who rank first in the league with a .290 batting average. Pittman fanned four in the win and helped her own cause by scoring two runs and knocking in one run.
Barton took advantage of several Mount Olive errors to construct its advantage. The Lady Bulldogs opened up the scoring with two unearned runs in the third that featured an RBI-single by Liz White that scored Pittman.
Pittman scored again in the fifth on another error by the hosts to extend the Lady Bulldogs lead to 3-0 before sophomore Jesse Crist hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth to put the Trojans on the board.
Barton extended its cushion to four runs in the sixth with two more unearned runs. Morgan led off with a single and sophomore pinch runner Alyssa Spell later scored on a wild pitch. Senior Amanda Schatz reached on a fielder's choice and later tagged up and scored on a Pittman sacrifice fly for the Lady Bulldogs final run.
After the four Trojan singles, sophomore Jennifer Jones had a sac fly that plated the third Mount Olive run in the seventh to close the gap to just one run before Pittman ended the game with a strikeout call to Becker.
MOC finished with a 7-6 hit edge. Liz White and freshman Crystal Britton accounted for four of the Lady Bulldogs six hits from the top of the batting order.
