WILSON, N.C. – The Barton softball team (17-15, 8-6) came up big with a doubleheader sweep of first-place and rival Mount Olive (16-10, 10-4), 8-0 and 6-2, Wednesday afternoon in Conference Carolinas action at Jeffries Field.
Game One – Barton 8, Mount Olive 0
Barton freshman
Rilee Jones (Virginia Beach, Va.) threw a two-hit shutout to go along with eight strikeouts while improving to 11-4 on the year and the Bulldogs broke the contest open with a five-run second inning in the win.
Barton junior outfielder
Sidney Gronowski (Fayetteville, N.C.) led the way offensively with two hits and three runs batted in while senior outfielder
Morgan Shirley (Greenville, N.C.) added a pair of RBI in the win. Three errors hurt Mount Olive and the Trojans' Mallory Ratcliff (Fredericksburg, Va.) fell to 8-4 after taking the loss.
Game Two – Barton 6, Mount Olive 2
The Bulldogs rallied from a 2-0 deficit to take the doubleheader sweep from the Trojans. Barton sophomore second baseman
Emily Bell (Bunn, N.C.) and sophomore designated player
Sloane Correa (Greenville, N.C.) hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the contest before the Bulldogs plated four runs in the sixth frame to take the win.
Three more errors by the Trojans in the sixth frame doomed the visitors while sophomore pinch hitter
Savannah Branch (Shallotte, N.C.) scored the game-winning run for Barton.
Barton sophomore
AnnaKate Gilchrist (Clayton, N.C.) came on in relief to earn the win. Gilchrist (4-10) allowed just one run after entering the game in the second inning while striking out seven batters. For Mount Olive, Kylie Emanuele (Norco, Calif.) had an RBI single and Ratcliff (8-5) took the loss in relief.
Barton, winners of four straight games, will look to keep its hot streak going on Friday when the Bulldogs host Emmanuel (Ga.) in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. Meanwhile, Mount Olive hosts Southern Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader starting at 2:00 p.m.
