Softball caps February with sweep over Mount Olive

Mount Olive, N.C. —- The Catawba College softball team swept a doubleheader at Mount Olive on Sunday, now having won seven of their last eight games. The Catawba Indians improve to 10-6 overall, while the Trojans drop to 4-8 on the season.

The teams played a pitcher's duel in game one, as neither team scored until the sixth inning, when Aniyah King scored on a fielding error. Catawba added three more runs the rest of the inning, as Riley Tucker scored on a wild pitch, Molly Strider drove in Kary Hales on a sacrifice fly and Savanna Balderston drove in Bri Gallagher on an RBI single.

Mount Olive got one back in the bottom half, but Alex Baquie shut the door the rest of the way. The freshman pitcher tossed a complete game, allowing one run on one hit and one walk, while striking out six. 

The Trojans led for much of game two, but Catawba exploded for eight runs in the top of the seventh to turn a tie game into a 10-2 advantage heading into the final half inning. 

Hales had a massive 4-for-5 showing in the second game with three RBI and two runs scored. Gallagher also added three hits for a pair of runs driven in, while Tucker, Strider and Balderston turned in multi-hit games as well.

Baquie earned her second win of the day -- moving to 7-2 on the season -- giving up three runs in the bottom of the seventh on four hits while striking out two. Savannah Beaver provided quality relief as well, giving up an unearned run on two hits in 3.1 innings.

Catawba begins South Atlantic Conference play on Friday, hosting #15 Anderson for a doubleheader scheduled for 1 p.m.