PEMBROKE — The UNC Pembroke softball team put up six runs in the third inning and used a Summer Bullard single in the bottom of the fifth inning to defeat Mount Olive 10-1 in five innings in the opening game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the UNCP Softball Field for senior day.
The Braves were held scoreless through the first five innings in game two, as senior Jai Deese put UNCP on the board with a homer in the sixth, but the Trojans registered nine hits and scored in three innings to split the series with a 4-1 victory.
In the third inning of game one, the Braves (19-32, 10-14 Conference Carolinas) loaded the bases with a leadoff double from Marijo Wilkes and walks from Charlotte Rose and Chloe Locklear. A bases clearing triple down the right field line from Mackenzie Collins put UNCP ahead 4-1. The Black & Gold put runners on the corners after Emma Eckhart was hit by a pitch, but Kaitlyn King lit up the scoreboard with a three-run homer to give UNCP a 7-1 lead.
Wilkes had three hits, including two doubles and a home run, with one RBI for UNCP. Bullard (9-13) had two RBIs and also pitched five innings with six strikeouts to earn the win.
Laci Best had two hits with an RBI for Mount Olive (35-14, 16-8 CC). Hannah Killough (11-8) was the losing pitcher.
In the nightcap, Mount Olive put runners on first and second in the third inning after an Emma Mooney walk and Courtlynn Cooney beat out an infield single. Best smacked an RBI single up the middle to score one Trojan and give UMO a 2-0 lead.
Cana Shrock singled through the left side in the sixth inning and stood on third after McKenzie Millard put down a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error. Carly Curcio scored on a run on a sacrifice fly to left field, following by an RBI double via Adrianna Efird to put Mount Olive out in front 4-0.
Jai Deese put the Braves on the board with her sixth-inning solo homer over the left field fence.
Deese finished with two hits; Chloe Locklear had a double and Eckhart also had a hit for UNCP. Kinsley Sheppard (8-12) struck out eight in six innings pitched in the loss.
Cooney had two hits for Mount Olive and Emanuele and Efrid each had a double and an RBI. Callie Thornton (16-3) earned the win.
The Braves will now turn their attention to the Conference Carolinas Tournament where they will face seventh-seeded Southern Wesleyan in a single elimination play-in game. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. on Thursday at Tyger River Park in Spartanburg, S.C.
Braves baseball splits twin bill with King
Visiting UNC Pembroke pounded out 15 hits and got excellent relief outings from Jake Inman and Luke Barrow to take the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader over King 9-4, but could only muster four hits in game two of the doubleheader on the way to a 2-1 loss during Conference Carolinas action Saturday.
Joey Rezek hit his 15th and 16th home run in game one, while Inman came on with no outs in the first inning and went five innings of one-run ball, while Barrow went the final four scoreless, allowing just one hit to go along with five punchouts.
Jonathon Jacobs was saddled with the tough-luck loss in game two, going six innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out 10.
UNCP (33-12, 15-11 CC) dropped their first ever contest against King, moving to 8-1 all-time against the Tornado (14-27, 7-17 CC).
In game one, Rezek put the Braves on the board first with a solo homer down the left-field line.
The Tornado answered right back, using an RBI double from Michael Starrs and a two-RBI double from Andrew Bryant to give the hosts a 3-1 lead after one complete.
Garret Huffman led off the second frame with a solo home run to make it 4-1 King.
Rezek added his second solo blast of the day in the fifth, while Kody O’Connor followed with a double and came around to score on Chase Hudson’s RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Michael Dolberry II led off the seventh with a double and would score on Rezek’s RBI single to tie the game at 4-4. Hudson’s double put runners on second and third for Blake Hinson, who also doubled to bring home Rezek and Hudson and put the Braves in the lead 6-4.
Spencer Faulkner started the eighth inning with a single, Dolberry followed with a single of his own, and Rezek walked to load the bases. O’Connor drove in two with a double, while Hinson tacked on another via sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 9-4.
Rezek had three hits with two home runs, four runs and four RBIs. Hinson had two hits with a double, a steal and three RBIs for the Braves and O’Connor had two doubles and two RBIs. Inman pitched five innings allowing one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and Barrow (4-0) went four scoreless innings with one hit and five strikeouts.
Mason Swartz (0-2) took the loss for King.
In the third inning of game two, Starrs singled and would come all the way around to score on the play via two UNCP errors, also scoring Nathan Borchardt, who had singled in the previous at bat, to give King a 2-0 lead.
Rezek doubled in the sixth for UNCP and would then trade places on Kody O’Connor’s RBI double to cut the lead in half.
O’Connor had a double, a walk, a steal and an RBI. Jacobs (6-1) suffered his first loss of the season.
Bryant had two hits with a double for King. Corbin Dickenson (5-1) earned the win after pitching seven innings allowing one run and four hits with five strikeouts.
The two squads will meet again for the rubber match Sunday. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
Braves track & field finishes off successful weekend at Aggie Classic
Delsin Burkhart brought home an event title in the men’s 800 meters, while Ben Oxendine finished fourth in the men’s javelin to highlight Day 2 action at the Aggie Classic.
Burkhart took first place with a time of 1:52.80, while Oxendine placed fourth with a throw of 48.39 meters.
Overall, the Black & Gold established 14 new personal bests during the two-day event.
Both programs will now turn their attention to the Conference Carolinas Outdoor Championships set to begin Friday, April 26. The two-day championship event will be hosted at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
