MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The King University softball team came away with a split at the University of Mount Olive on Sunday afternoon. The Tornado dropped game one 6-1, but came back behind a solid pitching performance from Casey Gilbert to take game two 1-0.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Mount Olive 6, King 1; King 1, Mount Olive 0
LOCATION: Nancy Cassell Field; Mount Olive, N.C.
RECORDS: King 18-11, 7-1 Conference Carolinas; Mount Olive 20-12, 5-3 Conference Carolinas

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

• Kaycee Casteel posted two hits and scored a run in the opening game.
• Jenna Burnett went 3-for-3 in game two and drove in one while Casteel scored the game's lone run.
• Gilbert tossed her fourth shutout of the season and second in as many days.

GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS

• King loaded the bases in the first inning with one out before Katelyn Davidson worked a seven-pitch walk to drive in Casteel and give King the 1-0 lead.
• However, the Trojans got the final two outs of the inning as the Tornado left the bases loaded.
• The scored remained the same until Mount Olive scored a pair in the third inning. Amber Elliott drove in the first run before a double steal accounted for the second Mount Olive run.
• In the fourth inning, the Trojans got their offense going with two away in the frame.
• Back-to-back singles put two runners on before Megan Bryant ripped a double that scored them both.
• Mount Olive then took a 6-1 lead when Elliott drove in two with a single.
• Hanna Adams started a two-out rally for the Tornado in the seventh with a single and Gilbert followed with a single.
• However, that was all Haley Brogden allowed for Mount Olive as the Trojans took the game 6-1.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Haley Brogden (8-6) 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
Losing Pitcher: Rachel Farmer (5-2) 5.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS

• Casteel was on again in the top of the first as she drew a walk and Kay Brokering followed with a single.
• Burnett then drove in Casteel with a single up the middle to give King the 1-0 advantage.
• In the circle, Gilbert didn't allow a baserunner through the first three innings.
• Mount Olive posted a pair of hits in the fourth, but Gilbert got the final out to keep King ahead.
• Brokering and Burnett started the sixth inning for King with back-to-back singles before a hit by pitch loaded the bases with no outs.
• However, the Trojans got out of the jam with a strikeout, groundout and lineout that was nearly out of the reach of the shortstop.
• Mount Olive put together one last rally against Gilbert in the seventh inning, loading the bases with two outs.
• Gilbert then induced a flyout to give King the 1-0 win.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Casey Gilbert (6-3) 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
Losing Pitcher: Mallory Ratcliff (7-5) 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO

FOR THE FOES

• Charlene Thompson scored a pair of runs for the Trojans in game one while Elliott went 2-for-3 and drove in three.
• Bryant went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and two runs scored in the opening game.

UP NEXT

• King returns to the diamond on Friday when they travel to Erskine College. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
• Mount Olive hosts Belmont Abbey College on Tuesday afternoon.