North Georgia sweeps Trojan softball team

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 18, 2007 1:46 PM

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DAHLONEGA, Ga. -- Jenny Jackson took a shutout into the sixth inning, but North Georgia broke a scoreless game with a pair of runs to defeat Mount Olive 2-0 in game one of a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday.

The loss ended the Trojans' five-game winning streak. Mount Olive fell 7-2 in the nightcap. Kensie Cobb and Erin Wilson connected on run-scoring extra-base hits.

Mount Olive (36-17) kept game one scoreless thanks to Jackson's arm on the mound and Bailey Harrell's arm behind the plate. Jackson (16-6) overcame a leadoff single in the bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts. Harrell prevented what would have been the first run of the game in the bottom of the second by throwing out a runner attempting to steal second, just before the next batter tripled.

Harrell threw out another runner attempting to steal to end the fourth inning and Jackson retired the side in order in the fifth. But Page Raynor's leadoff triple ignited a two-run sixth inning as North Georgia took the lead for good. Reliever Christine Ermer got out of the inning with two come-backers to the mound and throwing a runner out at the plate.

The Trojans were held to three hits by North Georgia pitcher Andrea Moss (23-10). Allison Czerski got Mount Olive's first hit of the game with two outs in the third inning.

In the nightcap, North Georgia (36-19) led 5-0 after two innings as a Trojan error led to two unearned runs in the second and Meigan Grimm's two-run triple sparked a three-run third inning.

The Trojan bats woke up in the top of the sixth as Karen Thornton walked and scored on Cobb's double to left-center. Pinch-runner Colleen Thomas then scored on Wilson's opposite-field triple down the left field line.

North Georgia finished its first season in the Peach Belt Conference in fourth place in the regular season standings.

Tuesday's doubleheader concluded Mount Olive's regular season as the Trojans open play Friday at 1 p.m. in the 2007 Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference Softball Tournament at Hartsville, S.C. Mount Olive clinched at least a share of the regular season championship and is the No. 1 seed in the tournament. The title game is slated for Sunday afternoon and the tournament champion earns an automatic bid to the South Atlantic Regional of the 2007 NCAA Division II Softball Championship.