MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. – The King University softball team went on the road to face Conference Carolinas-leading University of Mount Olive on Friday afternoon. The Tornado used a big sixth inning in each game to sweep the doubleheader 4-2 and 6-5.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 4, Mount Olive 2; King 6, Mount Olive 5
LOCATION: Nancy Chapman Cassell Field; Mount Olive, N.C.
RECORDS: King 26-12, 10-4 Conference Carolinas; Mount Olive 32-10, 11-5 Conference Carolinas
KING HIGHLIGHTS
- Rikkelle Miller hit a home run in game one and went 2-for-3 and drove in three in game two.
- Erin Foster hit a three-run home run in game one and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in game two.
- Lauren Lawson drove in two and score twice with a triple in game two.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
- Mount Olive started the bottom of the first inning with three straight singles.
- Following an out, a single from Cassandra Lassiter gave Mount Olive a 2-0 lead.
- Carly Turner then got the final two outs to end the inning.
- The King offense was up against one of the top pitchers in Conference Carolinas, Hannah Killough.
- The first King baserunner came in the top of the fifth inning as Lilly Million was hit by a pitch with one out.
- However, the Trojan defense ended the inning with a double play.
- Samantha Helms started the sixth inning with a single, the first of the day for the Tornado.
- Following an out and a Lawson walk, Foster gave King the lead with one swing.
- Foster ripped a home run to left center, vaulting King to a 3-2 lead.
- Turner then made quick work in the bottom of the inning, retiring the Trojans in order.
- Miller then kept the momentum going for the Tornado in the seventh, lacing a leadoff home run to center field.
- Mount Olive put a pair of runners on in the seventh, but Turner got the final out to give King the 4-2 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Carly Turner (7-1) 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Losing Pitcher: Hannah Killough (15-7) 7.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 SO
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
- King threatened with a pair of two out runners in the first inning, but that was it.
- Mount Olive scored a pair, one on a bases loaded walk and another on a wild pitch in the second.
- The Trojans had the bases loaded again, but King got out of the inning.
- Lawson walked to start the King half of the third and Foster followed with a double.
- Miller then drove both in with a single, evening the score at two.
- However, that was short lived as Mount Olive regain the lead in the bottom of the inning.
- A two-out hit by pitch started a rally before Ashlyn Porter hit a two-run home run, giving the lead back to Mount Olive.
- The Trojans started the fifth inning with a triple and single to extend their lead to 5-2.
- Nikole Counts then entered and got three straight outs to end the threat.
- Camryn Haag doubled to start the sixth inning before Peyton Day ripped a one-out single.
- The pair came around to score on a Lawson triple before a wild pitch scored Lawson to even the tally.
- Foster single and stole second before a two-out single from Miller gave King a 6-5 lead.
- Counts the retired the final six hitters she faced to give King the 6-5 victory.
OF RECORD
Winning Pitcher: Nikole Counts (11-6) 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO
Losing Pitcher: Hailey Kessinger (6-1) 7.0 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO
FOR THE FOES
- Courtlynn Conney went 4-for-4 and scored once in the opening game before hitting a triple in the nightcap.
- Lassiter drove in two in game one and Porter drove in two in game two.
UP NEXT
- King takes on Belmont Abbey College on Saturday. First pitch from Belmont, N.C. is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
- Mount Olive hosts Lees-McRae College on Saturday.
