Box Score Burlington, N.C. – Despite outhitting the Trojans 7 to 5, the #4 Erskine Flying Fleet (19-23) lost 5 to 2 to the #2 University of Mount Olive Trojans (29-19) this afternoon in the loser's bracket of the Conference Carolinas Softball Championship Tournament.
The Flying Fleet committed a crucial fielding error in the second inning that led to four unearned runs for the Trojans. After an error and hit batsman loaded the bases, UMO's Savannah Becker crushed a grand slam to put the Trojans up 5 to 0. UMO's Lindsay Russell had led off the inning with a solo shot to left for her seventh round-tripper of the year.
Outside of those two big flies in the second inning, Erskine pitcher
Candace Fitch (Cherryville, NC, Burns High School) kept Mount Olive off the scoreboard, allowing just three hits over the other five innings.
Mount Olive's pitcher Lauren Smith managed to avoid trouble despite the Fleet having a baserunner on in every inning. She allowed two runs on seven hits the complete game victory. It was her eighth win of the year.
Erskine tallied their two runs in the third and sixth innings. Erskine's
Sydney Smith (Seneca, SC, Seneca High School) plated the Fleet's first run with her fourth home run of the year in the third and the Fleet added another run in the sixth off of
Gabby Keisler's sacrifice fly.
Jill Sprague (Charlotte, NC, West Mecklenburg High School) led the Fleet at the plate going a perfect 3 for 3.
With the loss, Erskine's season comes to a close at 19-23.
