CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Royals softball team finished the weekend 3-0 after picking up a win against Mount Olive College Sunday afternoon at Park Road Park. The Royals (13-14/6-1) defeated the Trojans (10-18/2-3) 3-1 in the first contest and the second was called early due to rain and poor field conditions.
Leadoff batter
Maria Goode (Charlotte, N.C., Providence) did her job to reach first with a single down the leftfield line to start the game. Trojan pitcher Sarah Saunders walked
Keeya Turner (Fayetteville, N.C., 71st) to advance Goode and clean-up batter
Megan Campbell (Raleigh, N.C., Athens Drive) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Alisha Waldrop (McDonough, GA , Luella) hit a single through the left field gap to bring Goode in and give Queens a 1-0 lead.
Queens' one run was enough until the fourth when Aubrey Reinhard put one over the fence to knot the game at one-all. Dodge finished the inning by striking the next batter out and forcing the last batter to put the ball in play to Goode in left field.
Dodge answered back in the bottom of the fourth with her second homerun in the last five days to give Queens the 2-1 advantage.
In the next inning Queens padded the lead by one. Campbell hit a double to the centerfield fence advancing Turner to third after she reached on a fielder's choice.
Megan Lathbury (Georgetown, Del., Sussex Central) dropped a single just in front of the leftfielder to drive in Turner for her team-leading 14
th RBI of the year.
Dodge retired the first two batters in order with the third singling to Waldrop at shortstop. Lathbury ended the inning catching a popup from Kayla Vorhees.
Both Saunders and Dodge threw complete games. Dodge gave up just four hits and retired eight with strikeouts. The Royals offense hit seven off of Saunders and just three were put away with strikeouts.
The Royals rest until Thursday when they host West Virginia State University at 5pm.
