Trojans capture sweep over Bloomsburg

MOUNT OLIVE – Behind a pair of shutout victories on March 11, the University of Mount Olive softball team swept Bloomsburg in non-conference play at Nancy Chapman Cassell Field, recording a 4-0 win in game one before posting a 16-0 run-rule victory in game two.

With the wins, the Trojans improved to 9-9 overall while winning five of their last six games over the previous two weeks. It marks just the second time these sides have met in Mount Olive with UMO boasting a 4-1 record in the all-time series dating back to 2010.

In game one, junior starter Hannah Killough delivered another outstanding performance on the mound to improve to 6-3 overall. She registered a complete-game shutout while scattering three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in 7 innings pitched. Killough produced her seventh complete game of the year, including three shutout wins.

Following a pair of scoreless innings to start the contest, the Trojans were able to strike first with two runs on three hits. Junior Kylie Emanuele led off the frame with a solo homer to left-center, her fourth of the year, to give UMO a 1-0 advantage. With two outs, junior Courtlynn Cooney laced an infield single to third before stealing second base. The next at-bat, sophomore Alyssa Smothers ripped a double to right field to extend the lead to 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, junior Ashlyn Porter belted a solo homer to left-center field, her first of the year, to stretch the advantage to 3-0. After a scoreless fifth, junior Cana Shrock and freshman Bri Verme laced back-to-back doubles in the sixth. With one out, freshman Emily Cassidy delivered an RBI single through the left side to bring the lead to 4-0.

Emanuele and Verme each finished the game 2 for-3.

In game two, the Trojan offense exploded for 16 runs with eight players registering a hit in the victory. Mount Olive jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning after junior Lark Collins blasted a three-run homer to left field in the top of the first.

UMO scored 12 runs on seven hits in the top of the third while nearly batting around twice. The inning began with a leadoff triple by Cooney before she scored on a throwing error. With the bases loaded, the next three batters were hit by pitches before freshman Kaylee Taylor was walked to extend the lead to 8-0. Verme and freshman Olivia Castillo recorded two RBI later in the frame as the advantage grew to 15-0. In the bottom of the fourth, junior Adrianna Efird added to the lead with a solo homer to left field for the final score of 16-0.

Senior Lauren King earned the win (1-2) after yielding just one hit over 4 innings pitched as the starter. Sophomore Callie Thornton tossed 1 inning of scoreless relief to seal the shutout victory. Cooney went 3 for 3 with one RBI and two runs scored, while Smothers finished 2 for 2 with one RBI and three runs scored.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics